When it comes to understanding hurricanes, no satellite or radar can truly replace the power of firsthand data. Few people know this better than Jim Robertson, Air Force veteran and Hurricane Hunter, who spent over a decade flying directly into some of the most intense storms on record.
Jim’s path into meteorology began in 1966 when he joined the Air Force as an education training officer. His first assignment was at St. Louis University, where he studied under Fred Bates, one of the early pioneers of rotating thunderstorms.
He was later stationed in Japan, where his role evolved from fire weather testing to chief forecaster at Weather Central in Tokyo. After returning to the U.S., Jim earned a doctorate in education and moved to Baton Rouge where a new opportunity took flight.
“A fellow church member introduced me to the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, better known as the Hurricane Hunters,” Jim said. “They’re based out of Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, and they’re the only unit in the Department of Defense that flies directly into tropical systems. They’ve been doing these missions since 1944.”
Jim joined the squadron in 1982 and spent the next 11 years flying into hurricanes, collecting vital data from the heart of the storms. He retired in 1992 and says he loved every minute of it.
Flying Through Hurricanes
Each mission typically lasted 12 hours and carried a five-person crew: pilot, co-pilot, navigator, flight meteorologist, and weather reconnaissance loadmaster.
“When you go into the storm, you take an observation every 15 miles so at 300 miles an hour, that’s about every five minutes. It keeps you busy,” Jim said. “We started out with handheld calculators, recording observations of surface winds, altitude, cloud types, precipitation, dew point, temperature.
Once inside the eye of the storm, the crew would cross the center and release a dropsonde, relaying data back to the National Hurricane Center. They would then continue out the other side, circling back to make up to four passes through the system, depending on conditions. Most people say the eye of the storm is calm, but Jim’s experience tells a different story.
“People always say the eye of the storm is calm, well the winds are calm, but the surface of the ocean is not,” Jim said. “You’ve got winds coming from all directions and 30-foot waves banging into each other. It’s total chaos down there, upwelling, whitecaps. What the surface looks like depends on how strong the winds are.”
Stories from the Storms
Not every mission went smoothly. One of Jim’s most harrowing experiences came during Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which proved to be his most dangerous flight.
As a NOAA aircraft sustained serious damage mid-storm, Jim’s Air Force plane—TEAL 57—was called in to assist. You can read that full story here.
More stories below from Tropical Storm Barry, Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Iniki, and a flight that made his teeth rattle.
Here are photos of his original flight notes and handwritten records that offer a glimpse into the real-time data collection from inside the storm.
Why These Flights Matter
While satellite and radar provide valuable imagery and positioning, these missions are critical for gathering firsthand observations that sometimes can't be seen from above.
“Hurricane Elena in the Gulf in ’85 had a thick cirrus shield over it, so they couldn’t tell exactly where it was,” Jim said. "When I went out, I found it 60 miles closer to Tampa than it was supposed to be. They were still forecasting it toward Biloxi, but it had made a 90-degree turn and was headed straight for Tampa. Because of the cirrus shield, you couldn’t see that on satellite. In cases like that, flying into the storm is invaluable
Timely, accurate information can be the difference between staying safe and being caught off guard. And with hurricane season now underway, the need to support these missions couldn’t be more timely.
"They've really put the American people in harm's way by cutting a lot of the funds,” Jim said. “They need more money, instead of less money."
More Than Just a Mission
After retiring from flying, Jim returned to Japan, where he spent 16 years teaching in the Department of Defense Dependents Schools system.
Jim remains devoted to every mission he’s been part of - continuing to share his knowledge, stories, and passion for the work, and for those still doing it today.
Want to learn more about the Hurricane Hunters and their vital role in weather reconnaissance? Visit the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" and NOAA Hurricane Hunters websites for more information.
