COLUMBIA, S.C. — In 1943, a hurricane was approaching Galveston, Texas. Two American Air Force officers, Colonel Joe Duckworth and Lieutenant Ralph O'Hair, placed a wager. Their bet was to fly an aircraft directly into a hurricane.
The two officers risked their lives by flying an aircraft right into the heart of the raging storm. The pair successfully pierced into the eye of the hurricane and made reports describing the flight as "being tossed like a stick in a dog's mouth."
Upon their return, an Air Force meteorologist eagerly requested to be flown into the storm next.
The insights gained from this initial venture spurred the establishment of "Hurricane Hunters." Their primary mission is to fly directly into hurricanes and tropical storms to collect real-time wind speed, pressure, temperature, and humidity data.
The data provides a comprehensive understanding of storm dynamics, aiding in more accurate forecasting and early warnings.
