NOAA’s “Hurricane Hunters” to visit Bangor, Maine Monday May 2nd, 2005.

NOAA’s National Weather Service Forecast Offices in Caribou and Gray, Maine and Bangor International Airport announce the arrival of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's P-3 Orion "Hurricane Hunter" aircraft.

In service since 1975, the P-3 is one of the world's most heavily instrumented research aircraft. Bangor is the first stop on the plane's 2005 East Coast Hurricane Awareness Tour. The other sites include Washington, DC, Richmond, VA, Charleston, SC and Jacksonville, FL.
Often referred to as a flying laboratory, the Hurricane Hunter's mission is to fly into hurricanes to make detailed weather observations of these powerful storms. The plane records meteorological data during its journey, including variables such as wind speed and direction, and determines the exact location and central pressure of the storm.

This information is extremely valuable to forecasters who are tracking a storm's movement and intensity. The plane's wind measurements are also important in forecasting the urricane's storm surge which is a wind driven surge of water that is often responsible for a large number of deaths associated with the coastal flooding caused by hurricanes.
In addition to the crew of the Hurricane Hunter, Max Mayfield, Director of the National Hurricane Center will accompany the aircraft. Representatives from the National Weather Service, the American Red Cross, and the Maine Emergency

Management Agency will be available for questions and to provide preparedness information this Monday. Invited VIP guest speakers include Senator Susan Collins, Congressman Michael Michaud and Bangor’s Mayor Frank Farrington. A special ceremony will be taking place in the morning between 9:00 – 9:30am when the key to the city will be presented to Max Mayfield from the Mayor. All are welcomed and encouraged to join in on this celebration. The plane will be open for the public to tour on Monday, May 2nd, between the hours of 2:30 PM and 4:30 PM, at Bangor International Airport. In addition to the public tours, emergency management officials and invited school groups will tour the plane between 9:00 AM and 2:30 PM.