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  • Hurricane Hunters fly Hurricane Sam

    The Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, better known as the Hurricane Hunters, flew their first mission into Hurricane Sam out of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Sept. 27.First recognized as Tropical Depression 18 Sept. 22, the National Hurricane Center began monitoring the

  • Reservists wrap up Hurricane Ida reconnaissance

    The Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Hurricane Hunters assigned to the 403rd Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., finished flying Hurricane Ida as the category 4 storm made landfall in Louisiana, Aug. 29.

  • Little Rock Reserve maintainers assist Keesler with WC-130J repair

    Maintaining aircraft for 10 WC-130J Super Hercules is no easy task, especially when that job is to repair an aircraft after a destructive fire.On Nov. 1, 2020, a 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron crew was preparing to take off to fly Hurricane Eta when the aircraft’s left wing caught fire. None

  • Hurricane Hunters wrap up Elsa recon ahead of landfall

    The Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Hurricane Hunters wrapped up their aerial reconnaissance efforts for Tropical Storm Elsa Wednesday morning, July 7, after the storm made landfall on the northwest coast of Florida.The 53rd WRS is assigned to the 403rd Wing and is the only

  • Hurricane Hunters get upgraded

    The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron “Hurricane Hunters” aerial reconnaissance weather officer and loadmaster/dropsonde operator stations are being upgraded with hardware and software to increase their weather collecting capabilities.“The (Meteorology Equipment Technician) shop is in the middle

  • Hurricane Hunters wrap up atmospheric river season

    Three WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron “Hurricane Hunters” returned from the West Coast to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., March 25, 2021. The 403rd Wing’s Hurricane Hunters wrapped up the atmospheric river season in partnership with National Oceanic and

  • Hurricane Hunters hunt first winter storm of the season

    Hurricane season might be over, but that does not mean the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron “Hurricane Hunters” are through providing pertinent weather reconnaissance services to those potentially impacted by severe weather.   As of Nov. 1, the winter storm season began, and the 53rd took off

  • AFR's Hurricane Hunters unit weathers record storm season

    The 2020 Atlantic and Pacific hurricane seasons, at least technically, came to an end Nov. 30, and what a season it was.  The Atlantic side saw many records broken throughout the season, including dethroning 2005 and its 28 named storms as the busiest season on record with 30 named storms for this

  • Zeta, Eta keep Hurricane Hunters flying

    As the above-average 2020 Hurricane season spins on, the Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Hurricane Hunters continue to support the National Hurricane Center with their crucial data collection mission. For the fourth time this season, the Hurricane Hunters and their WC-130Js,

  • Tracking Sally

    From tropical storm to hurricane, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron“ Hurricane Hunters,” flew nine missions into Sally to track the storm and gather data.­The 53rd WRS, an Air Force Reserve unit assigned to the 403rd Wing, started flying missions into then-Tropical Storm Sally from their home