Hunting Hurricanes

In September 2020, pilot Rebecca Waddington was flying off the west coast of Florida. Suddenly, strong winds slammed into her small jet. It was one of the bumpiest flights of her life. What was happening? 

Waddington was flying through a dangerous storm. It would later become Hurricane Sally. 

Most pilots try to avoid dangerous weather, but not Waddington. She is a hurricane hunter with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Waddington and her crew collect data about these deadly storms. Their work helps keep people on the ground safe. 

In September 2020, pilot Rebecca Waddington was flying off the west coast of Florida. Suddenly, strong winds slammed into her small jet. It was one of the bumpiest flights of her life. What was happening? 

Waddington was flying through a dangerous storm. It would later become Hurricane Sally. 

Most pilots try to avoid dangerous weather. But not Waddington. She is a hurricane hunter. She works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Waddington and her crew collect data about these deadly storms. Their work helps keep people on the ground safe.

Knowing when and where a big storm will hit can save lives. That’s where hurricane hunters come in. During a flight, crew members release dropsondes (DRAHP-sahndz) from the plane. These long tubes are attached to small parachutes. As they fall through the air, dropsondes record temperature, wind speed, and other information. 

A crew member on the plane sends all the information to the National Hurricane Center. That’s in Miami, Florida. Meteorologists there use the data to try to figure out a hurricane’s path. They warn people to evacuate, or flee to safety, if the hurricane is headed their way.

“Sometimes the data we collect is used to tell people to leave their homes and might save their lives,” Waddington explains. “That’s definitely the most rewarding part of the job.”

Knowing when and where a big storm will hit can save lives. That’s where hurricane hunters come in. During a flight, crew members release dropsondes (DRAHP-sahndz) from the plane. These long tubes are attached to small parachutes. As they fall through the air, dropsondes record temperature and wind speed. They also collect other information. 

A crew member on the plane sends all the information to the National Hurricane Center. That’s in Miami, Florida. Meteorologists there use the data to try to figure out a hurricane’s path. They warn people in the hurricane’s path to evacuate. That means they flee to safety. 

“Sometimes the data we collect is used to tell people to leave their homes and might save their lives,” Waddington explains. “That’s definitely the most rewarding part of the job.”

1. How does the author say Rebecca Waddington is different from other pilots?
2. Describe how hurricane hunters help keep people safe.
3. What does rewarding mean? Why does Waddington call her work rewarding?

1. How does the author say Rebecca Waddington is different from other pilots?
2. Describe how hurricane hunters help keep people safe.
3. What does rewarding mean? Why does Waddington call her work rewarding?