Tropical Storm Bertha: WINK News Interviews Hurricane Hunter Pilot

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (WINK) — WINK News spoke with Maj. Allan Bolton, a pilot with the Hurricane Hunters, about Hurricane Birtha in the Atlantic and what crews have observed during recent reconnaissance missions.

The Hurricane Hunters have flown multiple missions into the system, with a fourth mission scheduled for this evening.

Bolton said the Hurricane Hunters' mission is to collect important data about the storm, including surface winds, pressure, and the location of the center of circulation.

"What we're looking for is to gather the data on the highest winds, the surface winds of the storm," Bolton said. "Primarily we go into fix mission to find the center of the storm, the center of the pressure, and where it's headed."

During recent flights into the then tropical depression, Hurricane Hunter crews measured winds of up to 33 to 34 knots about 100 to 120 miles from the storm's center. Bolton said those winds were stronger than the winds measured closer to the center.

"That's. I guess, more common with these smaller storms," Bolton said. "Is you won't get a whole lot of wind in the center until it starts forming into that storm or hurricane, where you'll develop an eyewall."

The system had not developed an eyewall at the time of the interview, but Bolton said that could change as the storm evolves.

Bolton explained that Hurricane Hunters fly missions to determine the storm's exact location and movement. Crews use an "alpha pattern" to collect multiple fixes of the storm center, information that helps forecasters track where the system is headed.

"You can't really gather that data from radar or any type of drone at this time, so that's why we go out and do what we do," Bolton said.

Bolton, who has flown with the Hurricane Hunters since 2019, said each storm can bring different challenges.

"Each storm has its own personality, just like it has its own name," Bolton said. "So we try to be prepared for anything."

He also emphasized that residents should continue monitoring forecasts and remain prepared as conditions can change.

"No matter what the forecast is, it could always get worse," Bolton said. "So just be prepared. Listen to those warnings and watches and heed to that."

The Hurricane Hunters will continue monitoring developing systems throughout hurricane season, including potential activity in other basins.