BILOXI, Miss. (WJTV) – With the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season around the corner, hurricane hunters at Keesler Air Force Base want Mississippians to be ready.

Each year, 10 aircraft based in Biloxi fly straight into hurricanes, collecting critical data from inside the storm. Crews that make up the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron fly at 10,000 feet and drop instruments into the eye wall. The tools measure wind speed, direction and pressure.

The data from the tools will be sent to the National Hurricane Center, where it helps shape the storm’s projected path. From there, state and local emergency officials use the data to decide which areas may need to be evacuated.

“Even though now there are satellites, and there is radar, as it gets closer to land, they cannot replace the direct measurements that we take that then go to the forecasters and into the models to help people on the ground make decisions and evacuate in times,” explained Maj. Amanda Nelson, a Weather Officer for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.

Crews said the work is dangerous, but it helps make sure communities get the warning they need.

“We risk our lives. We’re out there flying. We want people to listen and pay attention to the information because the technology that’s out there today. The ability to broadcast those evacuation calls, I mean, it’s second to none. It’s at the power of your fingertips now. So, there’s no excuse not to have that information,” said Lt. Col. Sean Cross, chief of Public Safety and pilot with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.

The hurricane hunters said storm surge and flooding are often the deadliest parts of a hurricane. They urged anyone in a storm’s path to take evacuation orders seriously.