Tour an Air Force WC-130J ‘Hurricane Hunter’ at RDU this week

Want to check out a Hurricane Hunter? One of the Air Force’s WC-130J aircraft used to gather information on tropical storms will be at Raleigh-Durham International Airport this week.

Hurricane experts are visiting five U.S. East Coast cities and one in Canada, flying aboard a USAF Reserve WC-130J Hurricane Hunter aircraft, to raise awareness of the impacts from tropical cyclones and the danger of being caught without a personal hurricane plan. Their stop at RDU is Wednesday, with public tours from 2:30 to 5 p.m.

The WC-130J or “Hurricane Hunter” is one of ten such aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force Reservists from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, 403rd Wing, at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Miss. Military air crews fly directly into the core of tropical cyclones to gather data critical for forecasting a storm’s intensity and landfall.

National Hurricane Center Director Rick Knabb, hurricane specialists Daniel Brown and John Cangialosi, Hurricane Hunter mission specialist Warren Madden, the USAF hurricane hunter crew members, and the NOAA aircraft crew members will be on hand to talk to the public about hurricane preparedness.

Staff from local emergency management offices, non-profit organizations such as the American Red Cross and personnel from the Raleigh National Weather Service forecast offices also will be on hand Wednesday.

Visitors will be directed to park in the Park and Ride 2 Lot on the north side of RDU. There is a crosswalk from the lot that leads to the General Aviation Terminal. Signs will be posted to direct visitors.

For more information, call 919-515-8209, email nicholas.petro@noaa.gov or go to www.weather.gov/rah/2017HATAircraft.

This story was originally published May 8, 2017 at 11:50 AM with the headline "Tour an Air Force WC-130J ‘Hurricane Hunter’ at RDU this week."