INCREDIBLE EYE WALL OF MELISSA CAPTURED ON VIDEO BY STORM CHASERS
The Caribbean was devastated by Hurricane Melissa, which had a significant impact on Cuba and Jamaica. According to news sources, the storm has killed hundreds of people, destroyed villages, and left millions without power. Storm chasers flew directly into the hurricane as it developed, given its devastating character, which was predicted days before it made landfall. Hurricane hunter Flynonymous WX was one such adventurer who captured stunning yet unsettling high-definition video from within the hurricane's eye, revealing the storm's seeming stillness.
The X (formerly Twitter) user, who identified himself as an “unprofessional photographer and United States Air Force cyclone Hunter,” and his squad completed five passes through the cyclone between daylight and midday. The crew was met with an unearthly sight after overcoming the dense clouds, as their field of vision was obscured by a tall wall of swirling clouds.
Flynonymous WX wrote, "People frequently wonder about the risk of flying through storms like Melissa, but we have procedures and train extensively." The NOAA mission crew on the Lockheed WP-3D Orion captured one such threat. The intense turbulence they experienced while pursuing the hurricane is shown in a video posted on X, which aims to gather meteorological data that will aid scientists in comprehending this phenomenon.
Matthew Cappucci is another hurricane hunter who entered Melissa. Using a different strategy, the meteorologist flew 10,000 feet above the ground at night above the eye. His accompanying text provides a clearer impression of the depressing images, even though his photograph is not as detailed as the other films. He clarifies, "That's Melissa's eyewall." The circle in the eye was PERFECT. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. It was similar to staring up from a soup can.
Even while all of the pictures and videos are really striking, they only serve as a harsh reminder of the struggles that the people who live in the Caribbean face. Melissa also triggered flooding in Haiti and the Bahamas, demonstrating that the devastation goes beyond the nations where it made landfall. Donating to grassroots organisations such as United Way of Jamaica, which supports local farmers; American Friends of Jamaica, which provides disaster relief to Jamaica; GiveDirectly, which provides emergency cash to families; CORE, which provides emergency supplies; and Direct Relief, which provides medical aid, is one way to help those in need. Additionally, the American Red Cross and British Red Cross are actively operating in the impacted areas and are accepting donations.