Hurricane Harvey: A Look Inside The Eye Of The Storm

Jesselyn Cook
Maj. Kendall Dunn and Lt. Col. Ivan Deroche fly a WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft into Hurricane Harvey during a mission out of Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi Aug. 24, 2017. (Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt Heather Heiney)
Maj. Kendall Dunn and Lt. Col. Ivan Deroche fly a WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft into Hurricane Harvey during a mission out of Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi Aug. 24, 2017. (Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt Heather Heiney)

Members of the Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron have been tracking Hurricane Harvey for more than a week ― frequently venturing inside the eye of the storm to gather critical data.

The team known as the “Hurricane Hunters” have already made 10 flights into the storm and passed through its core dozens of times to give the National Hurricane Center information including temperature, wind speed and direction, dew point and pressure. The NHC uses these updates to determine the intensity of the storm and to predict its movements.

“The data we collect is essential to the [NHC] right now because the capabilities of satellites and drones are just not there yet,” said Air Force Maj. Kimberly Spusta, a 53rd WRS aerial reconnaissance weather officer. “To go into the center of the storm to get that data is critical, so the NHC can have the most accurate forecasts possible.”

Take a look at the video below to see the storm from the Hurricane Hunters’ perspective during a flight on Friday, before it touched down in Texas:

Hurricane Harvey, now downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 1 storm, is expected to bring up to 40 inches of rain to parts of Texas. It still bears the potential to cause “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding,” meteorologists have warned.

The hurricane has already caused extensive damage in different areas of the state, and has left hundreds of thousands of people without power. Localized tornado watches and flash flood warnings remain in effect.

President Donald Trump signed a presidential disaster declaration ahead of Harvey’s landfall at the request of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

Read more: Harvey Downgraded, But ‘Catastrophic And Life-Threatening Flooding’ Risk Remains

Also on HuffPost

Steve Culver cries with his dog Otis as he talks about what he said was the, 'most terrifying event in his life,' when Hurricane Harvey blew in and destroyed most of his home while he and his wife took shelter there on in Rockport.
Steve Culver cries with his dog Otis as he talks about what he said was the, 'most terrifying event in his life,' when Hurricane Harvey blew in and destroyed most of his home while he and his wife took shelter there on in Rockport.
Ofelia Castro leads her grandchildren across a flooded street as they continue an hours long trek from their flooded house in the Edgewood area of South Houston to a relatives apartment miles away.
Ofelia Castro leads her grandchildren across a flooded street as they continue an hours long trek from their flooded house in the Edgewood area of South Houston to a relatives apartment miles away.
Aaron Tobias who said he lost everything stands in what is left of his home in Rockport. Mr. Tobias said he was able to get his wife and kids out before the storm arrived but he stayed there and rode it out. 
Aaron Tobias who said he lost everything stands in what is left of his home in Rockport. Mr. Tobias said he was able to get his wife and kids out before the storm arrived but he stayed there and rode it out. 
Damaged boats in a multi-level storage facility are seen in Rockport.
Damaged boats in a multi-level storage facility are seen in Rockport.
People gather supplies out of destroyed homes to take back to a shelter near City-By-The Sea, Texas.
People gather supplies out of destroyed homes to take back to a shelter near City-By-The Sea, Texas.
A destroyed laundromat is seen in Rockport.
A destroyed laundromat is seen in Rockport.
A destroyed apartment complex is seen on Aug. 26, 2017, after Hurricane Harvey passed through Rockport, Texas.
A destroyed apartment complex is seen on Aug. 26, 2017, after Hurricane Harvey passed through Rockport, Texas.
Donna Raney is helped out of the window by Lee Guerrero and Daisy Graham in Rockport.
Donna Raney is helped out of the window by Lee Guerrero and Daisy Graham in Rockport.
Valerie Brown walks through a flooded area after leaving her apartment in Rockport.
Valerie Brown walks through a flooded area after leaving her apartment in Rockport.
Charlie Company of the 4th Assault Amphibious Battalion, Marine Forces Reserve arrive at the Central Mall in Port Arthur, TX on Thursday night after running rescue missions in the hardest hit areas of town throughout the day.
Charlie Company of the 4th Assault Amphibious Battalion, Marine Forces Reserve arrive at the Central Mall in Port Arthur, TX on Thursday night after running rescue missions in the hardest hit areas of town throughout the day.
A Rockport firefighter goes door to door on a search and rescue mission as he looks for people who may need help.
A Rockport firefighter goes door to door on a search and rescue mission as he looks for people who may need help.
Rescue personnel help Hersey Kirk as she is airlifted into a rescue helicopter.
Rescue personnel help Hersey Kirk as she is airlifted into a rescue helicopter.
Jacque McKay walks through the apartment complex where she lives in Rockport.
Jacque McKay walks through the apartment complex where she lives in Rockport.
A damaged home is seen after Hurricane Harvey in Rockport. 
A damaged home is seen after Hurricane Harvey in Rockport. 
Damage is seen to a shopping center in Victoria, north and farther inland than Rockport.
Damage is seen to a shopping center in Victoria, north and farther inland than Rockport.
Damage is seen at a business near Rockport
Damage is seen at a business near Rockport
A damaged mobile home in Victoria.
A damaged mobile home in Victoria.
Damage to a hotel in Victoria.
Damage to a hotel in Victoria.
A business is damaged in Victoria. 
A business is damaged in Victoria. 
A light plane sits upside done at Rockport Airport. 
A light plane sits upside done at Rockport Airport. 
A sunken boat at Rockport Harbor. 
A sunken boat at Rockport Harbor. 
Destroyed houses in Rockport. 
Destroyed houses in Rockport. 
Light medium tactical vehicle's (LMTV) make their way through floodwaters near Bridge City in Texas.
Light medium tactical vehicle's (LMTV) make their way through floodwaters near Bridge City in Texas.
A car lies abandoned in Rockport. 
A car lies abandoned in Rockport. 
A police officer checks for survivors among destroyed houses in Rockport.
A police officer checks for survivors among destroyed houses in Rockport.
A gas station in Victoria.
A gas station in Victoria.
Damage to homes is seen near Rockport
Damage to homes is seen near Rockport
A sign on a Holiday Inn hotel in Victoria.
A sign on a Holiday Inn hotel in Victoria.
A burnt-out house that caught fire after Hurricane Harvey hit Corpus Christi.
A burnt-out house that caught fire after Hurricane Harvey hit Corpus Christi.
A house suffers roof damage in Corpus Christi. 
A house suffers roof damage in Corpus Christi. 

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.