Cathy Martin is a hurricane hunter with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For six months each year, she is part of a team that collects she describes as "vital data, to save life and property."
When winds pick up, (spin) toward the Caribbean and U. S. coastline, Martin and (she) flight team spring into action.
They use instruments called dropsondes, which (set) free from a tube at the back of the plane. As a dropsonde makes its 10,000-foot landing into the sea, it sends out information about air temperature, pressure, humidity, and the speed and (direct) of the wind.
On an eight-hour flight, Martin's team (typical) drops 15 to 20 dropsondes while flying from one side of the storm the other, trying to cover as much ground as possible. They head for the center (or eye) of the storm, there's no wind, and also search for the strongest winds, to help people on the coast prepare for what's coming. Sometimes, they will use an unmanned aircraft (gather) data closer to the ocean's surface.
Though these flights can be long,(tire) and often last several days in a row, Martin likes her job and wishes she could fly every day.
