US Air Force Flies Into Eye of Record-Breaking Hurricane Melissa

The US Air Force's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the Hurricane Hunters, conducted a daring mission flying directly into the eye of Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm of 2025 and a Category 5 hurricane approaching Jamaica. They captured rare footage showcasing the "stadium effect," where the hurricane's eyewall clouds curve outward with height, resembling a sports stadium, while collecting critical data to support forecasting efforts by the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane Melissa caused significant destruction ahead of landfall, including three deaths in Jamaica, casualties in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, extensive power outages, landslides, and threats to key infrastructure such as Kingston's international airport. Jamaican authorities issued urgent warnings, with Prime Minister Andrew Holness calling the storm "hugely destructive" and urging evacuations to higher ground. The reconnaissance mission not only provided valuable meteorological insights into the storm's structure and intensity but also emphasized the importance of preparedness and swift response to the rapidly evolving hurricane. While Jamaica bore the brunt of the storm, Melissa was expected to continue toward Cuba and the Bahamas, with no immediate threat to the US mainland.