Hurricane-Hunting Drones Probe Storm Anatomy

Off the coast of Bermuda, in the North Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Gabrielle is churning. More than 700 miles away, on a quiet island on the East Coast of the United States, NASA scientists on Tuesday were preparing to study the storm, using a drone that can fly above the swirling mass of clouds to examine how they form and grow.

NASA's Global Hawk airplanes are designed to help researchers peer inside hurricanes and tropical storms, enabling them to witness the life cycles of these extreme weather events. These observations will assist scientists in developing more accurate models projecting the path of these storms and determine whether they will gather strength. Read more...