Before Hurricane Harvey struck the Gulf Coast of Texas, hurricane hunters were flying through the storm itself to collect data as it moved across the ocean.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) pilot Cdr. Scott Price was a Navy pilot before he became a hurricane hunter. The Cape Cod native flies his specially-equipped P-3 Orion plane through the center of hurricanes to gather information.
“We stay low and go through the middle of the storm to collect data on the interior,” said Price. “The best information about the storm is the storm itself. Unfortunately, you can only tell so much from satellites, from degrees in the water.”
Price said the information hurricane hunters gather helps people in the path of the storm prepare and protect themselves from severe weather.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)