Category: Hurricane Research

View of the sunset looking out of the Hurricane Hunter Aircraft.

Innovations in hurricane research are advancing hurricane prediction

The Hurricane Research Division (HRD) within NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) is a worldwide leader in the advancement of hurricane science and prediction by collecting novel airborne observations, testing new observing technologies, and developing state-of-the-art forecast model systems that optimally ingest these unique datasets. These efforts make hurricane forecasts more accurate, ultimately protecting […]

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Group poses kneeling behind Dragoon Coriolis drone in the grass with a blue pop-up tent in the background.

NOAA tests new uncrewed aircraft for hurricane research

Uncrewed systems are a rapidly emerging tool for NOAA in hurricane research and forecasting as they allow researchers to gather data from otherwise inaccessible regions of the storm. While some uncrewed system deployments in hurricanes have already been shown to improve hurricane intensity forecasts, others still require further research and development. Prior to hurricane season, NOAA tests new and updated emerging technologies in non-storm environments, or “clear air,” to consider incorporating  them into the hurricane reconnaissance program.

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Attendees of the Joint US-UK Symposium on Emerging Technologies for High Impact Weather stand in a group for a picture.

Joint US-UK symposium on emerging technologies for high impact weather

From July 14-16, NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and the University of Reading held the inaugural Joint US-UK Symposium on Emerging Technologies for High Impact Weather in Reading, UK. Through this collaboration, AOML sought to bring together subject matter experts from the government, academia, and industry on both sides of the Atlantic.

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Hurricane Airborne Observation and Emerging Technologies

AOML's Hurricane Observation & Emerging Technologies Program Observing Hurricanes Using Airborne and Experimental Technologies Who We Are Objectives Our objective is to obtain observations in and around tropical cyclones to improve our understanding of their structure and intensity change, especially in regions that have historically been difficult to observe.  We also seek to test emerging [...]
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Ocean Month: Identifying the ocean’s role in fueling hurricanes

Join us as we celebrate and learn about our world ocean throughout National Ocean Month. June 1st not only marks the start of National Ocean Month, it also is the first day of hurricane season. To kick off this year’s Ocean Month, we are looking at the major role the ocean plays in the formation […]

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A satellite image of a hurricane approaching the east coast of the United States from the Atlantic Ocean.

AOML scientists prepare for an active 2025 hurricane season

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season started on June 1 and runs through November 30. NOAA predicts a 30% chance of a near-normal season, a 60% chance of an above-normal season, and a 10% chance of a below-normal season in the Atlantic basin this year: NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) will work with partners […]

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2025 Hurricane Field Program

Hurricane Field Program 2025 Season The 2025 Hurricane Field Program supports NOAA’s Advancing the Prediction of Hurricanes Experiment (APHEX). This page is organized by projects that support research into the lifecycle stages of storms, from genesis to end stage, as well as ocean observations and satellite validation. About APHEX: Developed in partnership with NOAA’s Environmental [...]
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A view from inside the cockpit of a NOAA WP-3D Orion hurricane hunter aircraft flying through a storm. A group of 4 aviators and hurricane scientists sit in the cockpit navigating the plane looking out at the view of the sky.

What was the bumpiest hurricane flight ever? Scientists now have the answer with new flight bumpiness measurement system

Original article published by NOAA Research on March 31, 2025. Hurricane researchers know bumpy flights better than anyone else, but, after a particularly turbulent flight into Hurricane Ian, scientists were left wondering if it was the bumpiest flight on record aboard a NOAA WP-3D Orion hurricane hunter aircraft.  This question led scientists to develop a […]

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Jason Dunion, Ph.D., stands over a P-3 Orion Hurricane Hunter research station in conversation with a fellow meteorologist analyzing data. Both researchers are sporting royal blue Hurricane Hunter flight suits while looking at data on computers and other intstruments.

Early-career meteorologist, Jason Dunion, is a recipient of the prestigious PECASE award

Jason Dunion, Ph.D. – a Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) meteorologist affiliated with NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) – has been awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the most prestigious award granted by the U.S. government to exceptional scientists and engineers in the early stages […]

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