Fact Sheet United States Air Force Reserve

53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron

"Hurricane Hunters"

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, a component of the 403rd Wing located at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss., is a one-of-a-kind organization. It is the only unit in the world flying hurricanes on a routine basis.

The mission of the Hurricane Hunters is to recruit, organize and train assigned personnel to perform aerial weather reconnaissance. During the hurricane season from June 1st to November 30th, they provide surveillance of tropical disturbances and hurricanes in the Atlantic (west of 55W), Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico for the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. They also may fly storms for the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

From November 1st through April 15th, the unit also flies winter storms off both coasts of the United States in support of the National Center for Environmental Prediction. These missions are flown at high altitude (30,000 feet), and can be just as challenging as the hurricane missions, with turbulence, lightning and icing.

AIRCRAFT

To perform their mission, the Hurricane Hunters have ten WC-130H aircraft. These 1965 model C-130 Hercules aircraft are adapted for the weather reconnaissance role from a search and rescue version HC-130. They are not specially reinforced, but are equipped with computerized meteorological data-gathering instruments. These aircraft are scheduled to be replaced by the new WC-130J over the next couple years.

PERSONNEL AUTHORIZED

The 53rd WRS is authorized 20 aircrews. Each crew is made up of six positions: two pilots, a flight engineer, navigator, weather officer and dropsonde operator. All are reservists, and half also hold full-time civil service positions as Air Reserve Technicians, available for immediate call to duty.

The pilot, who serves as the aircraft commander, and the co-pilot man the flight controls. The navigator keeps track of the aircraft’s position and movement. The flight engineer monitors the mechanical functioning of the aircraft. The flight meteorologist observes and records meteorological data at flight level using a computer that encodes weather data every 30 seconds. The dropsonde system operator collects and records vertical meteorological data using a parachute-borne sensor known as a dropsonde. It measures and encodes weather data down to the ocean surface.

Our traditional reservists bring a wide variety of experience with them, working as airline pilot, meteorologist, teacher, electrician, computer systems operator, law enforcement officer, fire fighter, medical doctor, veterinarian, and businessman, just to name a few! While most live in the Gulf Coast area, our reservists are drawn from 15 states, and frequently travel at their own expense to perform their duties. Reservists schedule their annual two-week training tour to coincide with the peak of the storm season in the summer, and often participate short-notice in additional storm missions, with the generous cooperation of their civilian employers.

Co-located with the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla., is a small group of Air Force Reserve civilian personnel, assigned to the 53rd WRS. The supervisory meteorologist of the unit serves as Chief, Aerial Reconnaissance Coordination, All Hurricanes, better known as CARCAH. These personnel are responsible for coordinating Department of Commerce requirements for hurricane data, tasking weather reconnaissance missions, and monitoring all data transmitted from weather reconnaissance aircraft.

HISTORY

The 53rd WRS was originally activated in 1944, as the 30th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Gander, Newfoundland. Its original mission was to fly weather tracks between North America and Allied Western Europe. Since that time, the Hurricane Hunters have had many designations and called many airfields home.

From Gander, the squadron moved south to New Hampshire and then on to Florida. In late 1947, the Hurricane Hunters moved across the Atlantic to Kindley Field, Bermuda, later relocating at Burtonwood Royal Air Force Station, England, and Dharan, Saudi Arabia. The squadron returned to Bermuda for a short time, and then back to the United States at Hunter AFB, Ga. In 1966, the 53rd WRS once again left the United States, this time for Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico. When Ramey closed in 1973, the Hurricane Hunters came to their present location at Keesler AFB, Miss.

In June of 1991, the 53rd WRS was inactivated, and all weather reconnaissance responsibility fell to the Air Force Reserve’s 815th Weather Squadron, which had existed concurrently with the 53rd since 1976. Then on Nov. 1, 1993, the 53rd WRS was reactivated and assigned to the Air Force Reserve, replacing the 815th WS.

(CURRENT AS OF OCTOBER 1999)