"The stunning imagery depicts the almost unearthly serenity at the eye of the cyclone, as well as the epic "stadium effect" created by the towering wall of clouds that enclose it. Though this "eyewall," as meteorologists call it, appears to be moving slowly, the ringed region is in reality brimming with the storm's most vicious winds. Another set of breathtaking photos taken by the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 satellite look straight down into the eye at the height of its powers."
"These winds proved a little too much for even the seasoned crew of the Hurricane Hunters, who filmed some of the flight's rockiest moments. Midway through their Monday expedition, the team turned around early and returned to its base in Curaçao due to severe turbulence, the National Hurricane Center said, per ABC News. On a follow-up flight the next day, the team was once again battered by extreme turbulence and forced to make an early return."
A US Air Force Reserve crew from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew directly into the eye of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa to collect vital weather data. The crew captured videos and images showing near-unearthly calm in the eye and the towering "stadium effect" formed by the encircling clouds. Meteorologists identify the surrounding ring as the eyewall, which contains the storm's most violent winds. European Space Agency Sentinel-2 satellite imagery also captured a direct overhead view into the eye at peak intensity. Severe turbulence forced the Hurricane Hunters to end their Monday flight early and return to base in Curaçao; a follow-up flight also encountered extreme turbulence and returned early. A scientist on board described it as his most turbulent Category 5 experience.
Read at Futurism
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