Research drones crossed paths with Hurricane Isaias Friday as the storm neared Florida’s coast, capturing dramatic video of a tumultuous sea inside of the storm.
Two unmanned vessels, often referred to as Saildrones, intercepted the Category 3 storm. One Saildrone went into the hurricane’s northern edge and passed directly through the hurricane’s eye offshore about 150 nautical miles south of Pensacola, according to a statement from the California-based company. The other went through the storm’s eastern edge.
Both vessels were launched from St. Petersburg, and have been pre-positioned in the Gulf of Mexico since early August.
The unmanned vessels sailed through stomach-churning hurricane conditions. One vessel battled winds of more than 100 mph and “significant wave height” of more than 32 feet.
Isaias is expected to make landfall somewhere along the northern Gulf Coast as a dangerous hurricane. Forecasters have warned people living between Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and the Bay and Gulf County line in Florida to hurry with any last storm preparations.
Saildrone and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have collaborated for years, having deployed vessels in several hurricanes including Hurricanes Idalia and Beryl.
Federal ocean scientists have plenty of tools to study cyclones, from moored buoys and airplanes to underwater gliders and floats. But until recently, a crucial piece of the puzzle was missing. What happens at the surface, where the wind meets water? Saildrone is now working directly with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to answer that question.
Isaias, the first hurricane of the season, will also be the first U.S. landfalling hurricane in two years. The last to do so was Hurricane Milton, two years ago to the day, on Oct. 9, 2024.
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