NOAA ATL 🇺🇸

NOAA ATL refers to Atlantic Ocean hurricane reconnaissance flights, a critical function managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It's not a radio station but rather the activity stemming from the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), a division of NOAA that focuses on researching hurricanes and various other weather phenomena. The primary purpose of these flights, executed by the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, is to gather in-situ data within hurricanes and tropical storms to enhance the accuracy of forecasts concerning hurricane intensity, track, and structural characteristics. These hurricane hunter missions employ specially equipped aircraft like the WP-3D Orion (N42RF and N43RF), nicknamed "Kermit" and "Miss Piggy", and the Gulfstream IV-SP (N49RF). The WP-3D Orions are equipped with Doppler radar, tail Doppler radar, dropsondes, surface measurement systems, and microphysics probes. The Gulfstream IV-SP flies at approximately 45,000 feet, deploying dropsondes to assess steering currents impacting the storm's path. AOML scientists actively participate in planning and executing these reconnaissance missions. They analyze the data collected, contributing to improved hurricane understanding and the development of enhanced forecasting models. The data gathered by NOAA ATL aircraft is promptly shared with the National Hurricane Center (NHC), enabling them to issue timely and informed forecasts and warnings. The data is also accessible to the broader scientific community for research purposes.