Members of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) gave a presentation to emergency managers from various government organizations throughout South Louisiana and Mississippi at the Lakefront Airport in New Orleans, La., during their Hurricane Awareness Tour (HAT) May 2, 2023, to showcase the services they offer during hurricane season and throughout the year.

Col. Cullen Jones, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District commander, and several district staff and Emergency Operation Center personnel, attended the meeting to learn the latest tracking information and other services offered by the NHC, and to meet with emergency management staff from other organizations.

During the HAT, members of the U.S. Air Force Reserve “Hurricane Hunters” and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration visited the New Orleans Lakefront Airport to promote hurricane awareness prior to this year’s hurricane season.

The Hurricane Hunters fly into storm systems in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico gathering storm data, which the National Hurricane Center (NHC) uses in its storm forecasting models to help determine what areas hurricanes and other systems may affect. The aircraft the Hurricane Hunters use to fly into weather systems is the WC-130J aircraft, while NOAA flies the WP-3D Orion to gather weather information.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, is dedicated to playing its part in helping to promote hurricane awareness and partner with various federal, state, and local partners as the 2023 hurricane season draws near.

For more information on how to prepare for this year’s upcoming hurricane season, visit getagameplan.org.