The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are the people who fly planes into hurricanes to collect data about them.
Yesterday was a rough ride, but we’re back at it again for one more mission to #Milton on Miss Piggy (#NOAA43). We’ll complete four passes through the storm today as it moves toward the coast of Florida.
This video of them flying Miss Piggy (yes, that's the name of the plane) into Hurricane Milton is currently going viral, and it's pretty wild to see what these folks go through in the name of science!
Bumpy ride into Hurricane #Milton on @NOAA WP-3D Orion #NOAA43 "Miss Piggy" to collect data to help improve the forecast and support hurricane research.
Well, we're learning that the NOAA paid tribute to a legendary radar scientist and researcher named Peter Dodge in a really unconventional but oddly romantic way.
Inside the flight station aboard @NOAA’s WP-3D Orion 'Miss Piggy' as we fly straight into Hurricane #Milton! These flights collect critical data that helps improve forecasts and support hurricane research. Follow @NHC_Atlantic for the latest forecast and advisories. 🎥Credit: Lt.… pic.twitter.com/4XieCd6NRx — NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (@NOAA_HurrHunter) October 7, 2024
They dropped his ashes into the eye of the Milton:
Beautiful tribute from @NOAA_HurrHunter who earlier this evening honored longtime radar scientist and researcher Peter Dodge who passed away in March 2023.
His ashes were dropped in the eye of Category 5 Milton tonight – PETER DODGE HX SCI (1950-2023) 387TH PENNY pic.twitter.com/BHjlQ0yhu7 — Michael Lowry (@MichaelRLowry) October 9, 2024
Other people are calling it the most metal thing they have ever heard.
dropping someone's ashes into the eye of a cat 5 hurricane is the most metal thing i've ever heard, oh my god https://t.co/BaD4x3zD56 — badger // now we're having fun 🫦 (@badgertastical) October 9, 2024
This person even found a journal Dodge authored called "The Kinematic Structure of a Hurricane with Sea Level Pressure Less than 900mb" which is fitting because Milton's pressure dropped below that 900mb number.
Did a quick google search on Peter Dodge and the first search result was a paper he authored titled : “The Kinematic Structure of a Hurricane with Sea Level Pressure Less than 900mb”. Beautiful tribute indeed. https://t.co/4f3sKZ9K33 — K. Esters (@kesters2) October 9, 2024