National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Hurricane experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will visit
five U.S. Gulf Coast locations, flying aboard a USAF Reserve WC-130J hurricane hunter aircraft
and a NOAA WP-3D Orion aircraft, to raise awareness of the impacts from tropical cyclones
threats and the danger of being caught without a personal hurricane plan.
The 2023 Hurricane Awareness Tour is scheduled in Tallahassee, Florida. 

 


Event Information


What: 2023 Hurricane Awareness Tour

Where: Tallahassee International Airport 

                 3240 Capital Circle SW

                 Tallahassee, FL 32310

When: May 4th, 2023

Admission: FREE!
 

Things To Do: 

  • Tour Hurricane Hunter aircraft
  • Meet the pilots & flight crew
  • Speak with hurricane forecasters
  • Meet with local National Weather Service meteorologists
  • Walk through exhibits from various agencies & organizations
  • Learn about weather safety & preparedness

About the Planes

WC-130J - "Hercules"

The WC-130J is a high-wing, medium-range aircraft used in weather reconnaissance missions. This plane is configured to penetrate tropical disturbances and storms, hurricanes and winter storms and obtains data on the movement, size and intensity of these systems. The WC-130J is the weather data collection platform for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. It carries a minimal crew of five: pilot, co-pilot, navigator, aerial reconnaissance weather officer and weather reconnaissance loadmaster. The crew collects and reports weather data as often as every minute.

 

 

WP-3D - "Orion"

The versatile turboprop aircraft is equipped with a variety of scientific instrumentation, radars, and recording systems for both in-situ and remote sensing measurements of the atmosphere, the earth, and its’ environment. Orion aircraft collects low-altitude data to fill gaps in data not available from ground-based radar or satellite imagery.


Schedule

  • 9:15 AM   – 9:45 AM         Media Briefing
  • 9:45 AM   – 10:00 AM       VIP/EM USAF Aircraft Tour
  • 10:00 AM – 10:15 AM       VIP/EM NOAA Aircraft Tour
  • 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM         Student Aircraft Tours 
  • 9:45 AM   – 3:15 PM         Scheduled Media Interviews
  • 1:00 PM   – 1:15 PM         Media USAF Aircraft Tour (VIP/EM alternative to the morning)
  • 1:15 PM   – 1:30 PM         Media NOAA Aircraft Tour (VIP/EM alternative to the morning)
  • 1:30 PM   – 4:00 PM         Public Tours
  • 3:30 PM                            Gates Close to the Public

Directions & Parking

 

(Click the image above to open in a new tab) 


Participants

 

List of NOAA/NWS People: National Hurricane Center Warning Coordination Meteorologist Daniel Brown and Senior Hurricane Specialist Robbie Berg, USAF hurricane hunter crew members, NOAA aircraft crew members, National Weather Service Meteorologists, the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), and staff from collaborating federal, state, and local government agencies will be on hand to educate residents of vulnerable communities about hurricane preparedness, and will be available for media interviews. 

 

A full list of our partners and fliers for the Hurricane Awareness Tour

(click the image for the full size)

           

 

 


Hurricane Information and Safety

Links:

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Tallahassee is just one stop on the 2023 Hurricane Awareness Tour!