Plot Synopsis

In this 30-minute reality series, HURRICANE HUNTERS follows pilots of the Air Force's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron based in Biloxi, MS, as they fly planes into hurricanes to gather meteorological data from the eye of the storm. They risk their own lives, and other people's lives depend on them because the information they gather helps weather services predict storm paths and warn affected cities. Many of these highly trained men and women take on hurricane hunting as a second job, and their day jobs and hobbies are as varied as a FedEx pilot, an attorney and an Elvis impersonator, making for a unique and eclectic group. The crew includes: Major Sean Cross, Instuctor Pilot/Scheduler, who has been with the squadron for over 11 years and estimates that he has made 124 hurricane penetrations; Lt. Col. Sean Pierce, Director of Operations/Pilot, whose biggest challenge is to anticipate several days ahead what flights may be required based on what storms are brewing within the squadron's area of responsibility -- an area that spans from 55 West to the International Dateline; Lt. Col. Jon Talbot, Chief Flight Meterologist, who has more than 22 years with the squadron, having logged 124 hurricane penetrations and developed a high-tech weather instrument called the Step Frequency Microwave Radiometer (SFMR) which is attached to the wing of the WC-130J aircraft; and Master Sergeant Scott Blair, Loadmaster, who is responsible for the overall safety of the plane and works with the flight meteorologist to collect and analyze the weather data throughout the mission. Weather Channel debuted the second season of HURRICANE HUNTERS on Monday, June 10, 2013 at 9pm ET with back-to-back episodes. In the second episode that night, the Hunters tracked tropical storm Isaac, which had already claimed more than 20 lives in Haiti and had tensions high as the 7th anniversary of hurricane Katrina approached.