‘Hurricane Hunters’ who flew into eye of Melissa had to turn back due to turbulence, NOAA says

In this handout image released by the U.S. Air Force, a A U.S. Air Force Reserve crew from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the “Hurricane Hunters,” flies through Hurricane Melissa on October 27, 2025 over the Caribbean Sea. Lt. Col. Mark Withee/U.S. Air Force via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — The U.S. Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the “Hurricane Hunters,” encountered heavier than normal turbulence while flying into the eye of Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday morning and were forced to turn back.

The team is now returning to its operating location in Curacao after experiencing “forces stronger than normal” that warranted a safety inspection before they could continue, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron wrote on social media.

A similar situation arose on Monday, when a “Hurricane Hunters” flight “left the storm early” after experiencing severe turbulence on Monday as well, the National Hurricane Center said.

Despite being forced to return once on Monday, the Air Force shared jaw-dropping video as the “Hurricane Hunters” flew into the eye of the storm multiple times over the course of the day.

Melissa has a “well-defined” 10 nautical mile wide eye, according to the NHC.

The storm is expected to hit Jamaica on Tuesday and is forecast to be the worst storm in the island’s history.

The storm, which has near-record-breaking winds of 185 mph on Tuesday morning, is now moving at 9 mph as it approaches the western part of the island.

Melissa is expected to bring catastrophic winds, rain, flooding and storm surge.

Melissa is then forecast to cross eastern Cuba on Tuesday night or early Wednesday, and then move near or over the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos on Wednesday, according to the NHC. The hurricane could reach the vicinity of Bermuda on Thursday night.