Highlights:
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The US Air Force “Hurricane Hunters” flew into the eye of Hurricane Melissa to collect weather data.
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Hurricane Melissa is the strongest storm recorded near Jamaica since 1851.
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The US Air Force captured footage showing the rare “stadium effect” inside the hurricane’s eye.
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Over 50,000 homes have lost power, and seven deaths have been reported across the Caribbean.
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The US Air Force has flown directly into the eye of Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful storm of 2025, to collect vital meteorological data. The mission was conducted by the US Air Force’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, also known as the “Hurricane Hunters,” in coordination with the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). The data gathered during the flight will help scientists track the hurricane’s intensity, structure, and projected path as it moves toward Jamaica.
Hurricane Melissa has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 system, with maximum sustained winds of 282 kilometers per hour. According to the NHC, it is the strongest storm to approach Jamaica in 174 years, since official hurricane records began in 1851.
US Air Force Hurricane Hunters Document Rare ‘Stadium Effect’
The US Air Force crew entered the storm’s eye from the southeast shortly after sunrise, maneuvering through thick clouds and turbulence before reaching the calm center. The aircraft’s instruments collected high-resolution data on wind speeds, pressure levels, and humidity while cameras captured rare visuals from within the hurricane.
A video shared by the US Air Force showed the early morning sunlight breaking over the rim of the storm’s eye. “We are entering from the southeast just after sunrise, and the bright arc on the far northwest eye wall is the light just beginning to make it over the top from behind us,” the Hurricane Hunter team posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The footage revealed a rare meteorological feature known as the “stadium effect,” where the inner walls of a hurricane curve outward, creating a shape similar to a large sports stadium. Another clip captured lightning illuminating the clouds while ocean waves below clashed in multiple directions. “The sea surface is always interesting to the eye with waves going in different directions,” the crew wrote.
US Air Force Data Aids in Forecasting and Disaster Preparedness
The information collected by the US Air Force is critical for refining forecasts and issuing timely warnings to communities in the hurricane’s path. Meteorologists use the reconnaissance data to improve computer models that predict a storm’s track and intensity. Given Hurricane Melissa’s slow movement — just 6 to 8 kilometers per hour — the potential for severe flooding and prolonged rainfall is high.
According to the NHC, the hurricane is expected to make landfall in Jamaica early Tuesday morning, bringing catastrophic winds, heavy rain, and storm surges of up to 13 feet. Some regions could receive more than 40 inches of rainfall, increasing the risk of landslides and flash floods.
Jamaica on Alert as US Air Force Monitors Progress
Jamaican authorities have opened more than 800 emergency shelters and issued evacuation orders for coastal and flood-prone areas. The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has urged residents to move to higher ground. As of Monday night, over 50,000 homes were without power across the island.
Across the wider Caribbean, the storm has already caused seven fatalities — five in Haiti and two in the Dominican Republic — as Hurricane Melissa continues its destructive path. The US Air Force continues to monitor the system closely, conducting repeated flights to update data for real-time forecasts.
US Air Force Missions Improve Understanding of Modern Storms
Meteorologists and researchers emphasize that the US Air Force’s hurricane reconnaissance missions are vital for understanding rapid intensification, a growing challenge in tropical cyclone forecasting. As global sea surface temperatures rise, storms like Melissa are becoming more powerful in shorter periods, making early detection more critical.
Experts believe that the data gathered by the US Air Force during this mission could contribute to improving predictive models and strengthening early warning systems worldwide. The information will help forecasters identify when and where hurricanes may intensify suddenly, reducing risks to populations in vulnerable coastal regions.
With its unmatched access to real-time conditions inside major storms, the US Air Force plays a central role in global disaster preparedness. The mission inside Hurricane Melissa illustrates how airborne data collection remains essential to modern meteorology and emergency response.
