THIS is the heart-stopping moment storm chasers hit by extreme turbulence as they fly into the eye of Hurricane Milton.
The storm is expected to make landfall in Florida within hours, bringing with it 160 mph winds, 15-foot storm surges and has already forced millions to evacuate.
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Boffin Nick Underwood filmed part of the flight through Hurricane MiltonCredit: NOAA/Nick Underwood
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One shot through the window can’t see the end of victory Credit: NOAA/Nick Underwood
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Underwood raises his hand to prevent his head from hitting the roof in severe turbulenceCredit: NOAA/Nick Underwood
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Miss Piggy wears high-tech boffin gear to gauge the stormCredit: NOAA/Nick Underwood
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The flight becomes calm as they reach the center of the stormCredit: NOAA/Nick Underwood
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Terrifying footage shows scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) being tossed around the flight.
The spacecraft, dubbed “Miss Piggy,” was collecting data on a hurricane heading toward Tampa on Tuesday morning when the footage was taken.
Intrepid boffins rush around the cabin and documents are thrown around as the men are forced to hold on.
When a powerful jolt shakes the plane, the cameraman, Nick Underwood, raises his hand to prevent head banging into the cabin.
Underwood drops her phone and wallet as they slide across the cabin to her co-worker who picks them up.
But that boffin can’t put them back because he has to use his hands to hold on to his seat.
The pair are surrounded by high-tech computers and sensors with other workers also working lower in the plane.
The blows are so strong that the floorboards rise and the important senors break.
Underwood laughs at their situation, remarking, “Well, hell.
“Geez… I have to keep these pockets closed.”
Hurricane Milton strengthens as 165 mph storm dubbed ‘worst of the century’ to hit Florida in HOURS
The wind and rain are so thick that when the camera is pointed through the window, you can’t see the edge of the wing.
But when they pass through the clouds and reach the eye of Hurricane Milton, the turbulence stops.
The wing, the sea and the sky can be seen again as Miss Piggy reaches a peaceful place in the middle of the chaos.
Underwood went to X and posted about the flight after the footage was released by NOAA.
It comes as…
- Hurricane Milton with 100 mph winds and 15 foot storm surge will make a direct hit to Florida
- ‘Price gouging’ hotels criticized for charging Hurricane Milton evacuees $600 per night
- Publix has been forced to change store hours at 500 locations and close some stores entirely
- Watch the moment when sick passengers are transported by helicopter from a stranded cruise ship
He said: “Pardon my Appalachian hooting and hollering, but this is right up there with Ian’s flight from two years ago. Floorboards popped. Dropsondes broke. Cabin mess.
“All this turbulence, and we’re still launching a probe to collect data.
“This is work. Important work.”
Milton hit 180 mph on Tuesday, but has since dropped to 160 mph.
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There are other boffins who also work on the planeCredit: Twitter
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The end of the wing can be seen when the flight reaches the eye of the stormCredit: Twitter
Miss Piggy is a Lockheed WP-3D four-engine turboprop that flies into storms to measure wind speed, temperature, pressure and humidity.
This data is important to forecasters and public officials as they must try to predict where and how strong a storm will hit.
The storm is set to be the worst to hit the Tampa area in more than 100 years if it stays on its current plan, according to the National Weather Service.
Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando are closing in preparation for the storm.
Sick passengers were evacuated from a cruise ship after it ran aground on the coast of Florida.
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NOAA’s WP-3D Orion N42RF, nicknamed “Miss Piggy”Credit: omao.noaa.gov
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Milton is currently 405 miles southwest of Tampa and is expected to cross the Gulf and make landfall south of the city Wednesday evening.
Storm surges of 15 feet are expected – engulfing entire homes with water and anyone who tries to ride it out inside.
A staggering 5.5 million people were affected by mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders in the central part of the state.
Evacuation orders closed schools, shuttered businesses and forced residents to board up their homes and then flee.
Many are also panic buying supplies like bottled water and toilet paper as they prepare for days of chaos.
All flights to Florida from the UK have been cancelled
Kate Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Airlines including TUI, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have canceled flights to the country as most airports are already closed.
Orlando Airport has suspended all operations as of 8 a.m. today.
The airport is yet to confirm when it will reopen.
Tampa Airport posted on social media: “We will suspend flights at 9 a.m. Tuesday and reopen when it is safe to do so.”
Melbourne Orlando Airport, which TUI currently flies to, is also closed.
In a statement, they said: “MLB will close commercial flights on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and will reopen at 9:00 a.m. on Friday.”
A Virgin Atlantic spokesman asked passengers to “check the status of their flights” before travelling.
A British Airways spokesman said they were “adjusting flight schedules” and offering options to rebook the flight or get a full refund.
TUI has already canceled a flight today and more are being ‘looked at’ although they are also likely to be cancelled, including:
A spokesperson said they are contacting affected customers directly.
US President Joe Biden said those who remain in their homes face “a matter of life and death”.
He said, “This could be the worst storm to hit Florida in over a century, and God willing, it won’t be, but that’s the way it looks right now.”
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the area affected by the winds could double by the time it makes landfall.
They said, “It will be an extremely dangerous hurricane when it makes landfall.”
What is a hurricane and how does it form?
A HURRICANE is another name for a tropical cyclone – a powerful storm that forms over warm ocean waters near the equator.
Those that form in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific are called hurricanes, while those in the western Pacific and Indian Ocean are called typhoons or cyclones.
North of the equator they spin counterclockwise due to the Earth’s rotation, however, in the southern hemisphere they spin in the opposite direction.
Cyclones are like huge weather engines powered by water vapor evaporating from the sea.
Warm, moist air rises from the surface, creating a low pressure system that sucks in air from surrounding areas – which in turn warms the ocean.
As the vapor rises, it cools and condenses into swirling bands of cumulonimbus storm clouds.
The system grows and spins faster, sucking in more air and feeding on the energy of seawater warmed by the sun.
A calm “eye” of the storm forms in the center where cooled air sinks toward the ultra-low pressure zone below, surrounded by spiraling winds of rising warm air.
The faster the wind, the lower the air pressure in the center, and the storm gets stronger and stronger.
Tropical cyclones usually weaken when they make landfall because they are no longer fed by evaporation from warm seas.
But they often move far inland – dumping huge amounts of rain and causing devastating wind damage – before the “fuel” runs out and the storm ends.
Hurricanes can also cause storm surges when low air pressure raises sea levels higher than normal, flooding low-lying coasts.
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Tropicana Field has set up shelter and beds for residents in need as the storm hits Credit: Reuters
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Milton can be seen from the International Space StationCredit: Rex
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Traffic cameras caught the gridlock as people tried to flee coastal areas in FloridaCredit: FDOT
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education