The Hurricane Awareness Tour makes its yearly rounds across several cities in the United States and the Western Hemisphere before the official start of hurricane season. More than a dozen staff members travel to multiple cities to give the public a firsthand look at hurricane hunter aircraft—key tools not only for researching these natural phenomena but also for saving thousands of lives and millions of dollars each year.
This public outreach event plays a crucial role in preparing communities. Local residents and visitors can speak with pilots, scientists, and meteorologists about the upcoming season and hurricanes, and see firsthand what happens inside these aircraft, where hurricane data is collected using radar, sondes, and various other onboard instruments.
The data collected during these missions help improve the accuracy and reliability of storm-track forecasts. It can shrink the cone of uncertainty and enable the National Hurricane Center to extend more precise predictions from three days to as far as five days out, giving people valuable extra time to prepare and take necessary steps to protect their families. Onboard scientists and meteorologists are responsible for carefully reviewing and validating the data gathered by the aircraft’s instruments before it is transmitted to the Hurricane Center, where it is used to produce forecasts that can ultimately save lives.
Hurricane Hunter Aircraft
Several aircraft will be available for public tours. The U.S. Air Force operates the large aircraft that fly directly through storms—the WC-130, which collects critical data.
NOAA operates three additional aircraft
- NOAA P-3 Orion: Gathers low-altitude storm data with advanced instruments
- NOAA Gulfstream IV: Studies storms at high altitude
- NOAA King Air: Used after storms to map damage and support recovery
Hurricane Hunters will showcase their aircraft for the public to explore and board, offering a truly hands-on experience. Pilots, scientists, and National Hurricane Center staff will also be present in Sarasota, Florida, to answer questions.
Be sure to arrive by 3 p.m. at Sheltair Aviation:
814 Clyde Jones Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243.
| 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Media Briefing |
| 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Student Aircraft Tours |
| 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM | Public Tours |
| 3:00 PM | Gates Close to the Public (MUST be in line no later than 3 PM) |
| 5:00 PM | Aircraft Depart |