Hurricane Helene has struck across the Southwest United States and has left millions without power and at least 56 people dead, according to reporting by the Associated Press. Helene arrived at Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane
late Thursday with winds of 140 mph. As the hurricane barreled toward the US, Maxwell Air Force Base reported it was preparing for the tempest. NOAA and the United States Air Force
have been monitoring this and other hurricanes with their Hurricane Hunters (
like they did with Hurricane Ernesto in August
).
Air Force assisting FEMA in preparation for hurricane
On September 26th, the Air Force reported the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had set up an incident support base in coordination with the 42nd Air Base Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base. FEMA pre-staged equipment and life-sustaining commodities at the airbase with over 450 trucks loaded with essential supplies (e.g. water, meals, generators).
Photo: US Air Force
“Maxwell has a vast airfield capable of supporting hundreds of trucks and equipment while also continuing air operations. It’s great to work with our federal partners from FEMA and the U.S. Army of Corps Engineers, we’re always ready to support them when needed.” – Lt. Col. Ara Bartemes, Operations Support Squadron commander
These supplies were shipped from the Atlanta Distribution Center for pre-positioning so that FEMA could quickly distribute the supplies as needed after the hurricane made landfall.
Photo: US Air Force
NOAA flew through Hurricane Helene
Separately, before the hurricane made landfall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was busy flying its specialized Hurricane Hunter aircraft into the storm to gather information (as was the Air Force with their own specialized WC-130J aircraft operated by the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.
“Ride through the eyewall of Hurricane #Helene aboard @NOAA WP-3D Orion #NOAA42 “Kermit” during our evening mission on Sept. 26, 2024. This mission gathered crucial data of a large hurricane intensifying before landfall. Find NOAA resources on continuing impacts and post storm recovery at – NOAA
In an unrelated development, on September 28, NOAA announced it had awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for two specialized C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to become the next generation of NOAA Hurricane Hunters.
Related
Hurricane Helene: Have You Been Affected By Flight Cancellations?
Hurricane Helene made landfall over Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 storm late Thursday night with maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour. While the storm has rapidly weakened, to Category 1, with 90 mph winds, as of early Friday morning, it will still disrupt air travel as it moves north-northeast.
The National Hurricane Center warned, “Tropical storm conditions are occurring from southern Florida to southeastern Georgia, and these conditions will continue spreading northward across the tropical storm warning areas in the Southeastern U.S. through today. Strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, will likely penetrate as far inland as the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.”
According to FlightAware, airlines canceled nearly 1,300 flights Thursday in anticipation of the storm’s landing. Airports including Tampa International, Orlando International, and Fort Lauderdale International, warned travelers of potential delays and cancelations. American Airlines, JetBlu
Air Force and Army prepare for storm
Storms can also damage and destroy military aircraft,
as was seen in the aftermath of a powerful storm at Fort Carson
in Colorado on August 1 of this year. Images emerged online of several US Army Helicopters overturned and damaged, with the Army later confirming damage had been sustained.
To help avoid that fate ahead of Hurricane Helena, the US Army was seen storing its CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawks densely in a hangar at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia on September 26.