US Air Force Hurricane Hunters Fly Into Category 3 Hurricane Isaias With 120 MPH Winds

U.S. Air Force Hurricane Hunters flew into Hurricane Isaias as the Category 3 storm packed winds near 120 mph and approached the northern Gulf Coast in October 2026.

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron operated WC-130J aircraft from Kelly Field in Texas after relocating from Keesler Air Force Base on October 8.

The Air Force Reserve’s 403rd Wing moved its aircraft to Joint Base San Antonio as Isaias approached. The Hurricane Hunters continued reconnaissance missions, releasing dropsondes to collect atmospheric data for the National Hurricane Center.

By October 9–10, an aircraft identified as Teal 73 had completed multiple penetrations into the storm. One report listed its sixth mission, with Isaias at Category 3 intensity and a central pressure of 959 millibars.

The Air Force shared footage looking into the storm’s turbulent cloud layers and challenged viewers to consider whether they would fly into it. Isaias was the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season.