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KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. — After a week of flying through one of the most destructive storms to strike the Caribbean in recent years, the Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron returned to Keesler Air Force Base Oct. 30 following a forward deployment to Curaçao.
The squadron, known as the Hurricane Hunters, arrived at the Forward Operating Location on Oct. 21 and conducted around-the-clock missions into Tropical Storm—later Hurricane—Melissa. In all, the unit flew 17 missions and 170 hours.
Flying WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft, aircrews typically penetrate the eye of a storm around 10,000 feet two to four times, releasing instruments called dropsondes that measure temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and barometric pressure from the aircraft to the ocean surface to collect real-time data on the storm’s structure, intensity and movement, said Lt. Col. Steve Burton, the 53rd WRS director of operations. That information was delivered directly to the National Hurricane Center to improve forecast accuracy as Melissa intensified.
Their deployment came during the federal government shutdown, which added additional layers of complexity to planning and coordination.
Despite the administrative hurdles, the squadron continued operations uninterrupted, ensuring forecasters received the critical data needed to protect lives in the storm’s path, said Col. Jaret Fish, 403rd Wing commander.
Burton led the deployed team in Curaçao and said the shutdown only reinforced the importance of the mission.
“Even with the challenges of the shutdown, our crews stayed focused,” Burton said. “We knew communities were already feeling the effects of Melissa, so every data point we gathered fed into forecasts that helped officials make life-saving decisions. That’s why we do this mission.”
Melissa’s impact across the Caribbean was severe. Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, brought catastrophic winds, torrential rainfall and widespread flooding to several island nations. Jamaica suffered some of the most significant damage, with officials reporting entire neighborhoods destroyed, extensive power outages and infrastructure failures, said Burton.
Preliminary estimates place damages to Jamaica between $6-7 billion, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report. In Haiti, heavy rainfall triggered deadly landslides and flash flooding. Portions of Cuba also experienced destructive coastal flooding and storm damage, according to the U.S. State Department. The death toll from Melissa is at least 90, with 45 confirmed deaths in Jamaica, where the storm made landfall in New Hope with 185 mph winds Oct. 28.
By staging out of Curaçao, the Hurricane Hunters reduced flight time to the storm center, allowing more frequent penetrations and critical data drops at the height of Melissa’s intensity. The increased cadence supported improved forecasting for emergency managers across the region.
After completing their final mission Oct. 30 crews and aircraft returned to Keesler AFB and are shifting their focus to the atmospheric river missions over the Pacific Ocean in support of the National Winter Season Operations plan. These narrow corridors of concentrated moisture that can bring intense rainfall and cause significant flooding in the western United States.
| Date Taken: | 11.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2025 09:10 |
| Story ID: | 551533 |
| Location: | KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 92 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Hurricane Hunters Fly Critical Missions Into Hurricane Melissa, by Lt. Col. Marnee Losurdo, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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