'Hurricane hunters' capture terrifying footage after flying into the eye of Hurricane Milton

Hurricane hunters who flew into the eye of Hurricane Milton have shared the terrifying footage they captured.

On Monday, October 7, NOAA shared dramatic footage on Facebook of their team flying directly into the powerful hurricane aboard aircraft WP-3D Orion, also known as "Miss Piggy."

Hurricane Milton as seen from space. Credit: NASA/Getty

The video, which shows a stuffed Miss Piggy toy dangling from the dashboard, took viewers inside the flight station as the crew braved the storm's fierce conditions.

“These flights collect critical data that helps improve forecasts and support hurricane research,” NOAA stated in the video caption.

The footage shows five crew members strapped tightly into their seats as the plane endured the storm’s turbulence.

While dashcams recorded the aircraft’s interior, some of the hurricane hunters used their own phones to capture additional footage from inside the cockpit.

In a second video posted on Tuesday, October 8, the crew at the back of the plane is shown struggling to stay secure during intense turbulence.

Despite being fastened by seatbelts, their equipment could be seen being thrown about as the plane jostled through the storm.

Jonathan Shannon, Public Affairs Specialist for NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center, explained that these high-risk flights are essential for hurricane research and forecasting.

The NOAA WP-3D Orion aircraft has been flying into hurricanes for nearly 50 years, collecting critical data that ground teams cannot obtain.

Speaking to the New York Post, Shannon explained: “We basically take a weather station to the weather. The best analogy I’ve heard is it’s like riding an old wooden roller coaster through a car wash.”

Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday evening, striking Siesta Key, a coastal community about 50 miles south of Tampa, at around 8:30PM EST, according to BBC News.

Florida residents are starting the process of rebuilding. Credit: The Washington Post/Getty

The powerful storm brought severe wind gusts, torrential rain, and a surge of water from the coast, leaving widespread devastation in its wake.

By Thursday morning, approximately 3.4 million homes and businesses were without power, dozens of homes were destroyed, and at least four deaths were confirmed.

Emergency responders continue to brace for further dangerous weather conditions, including flash flooding, storm surges, and high winds, particularly in Florida’s northeast.

The hurricane has left behind a path of destruction. Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty

The storm continues to move away from Florida, but swells generated by Milton are expected to affect portions of the southeastern U.S. and the Bahamas for the next few days, raising concerns about dangerous surf and rip currents.

The post-tropical cyclone is forecast to pass south of Bermuda late on Friday, though forecasters caution that the storm’s large size means its effects are being felt far beyond the eye of the storm.

Featured image credit: NASA/Getty