This is especially frustrating because the only reason we know the wind speed is because NOAA's Hurricane Hunters literally fly into the hurricane and collect vital data. They fly in and out of the storm over and over in 8 hour shifts.

This brave team flies two identical Lockheed P3s called Kermit and Miss Piggy.

You can see the dangling ornaments in the videos to determine which plane they are in.

And when I say they fly into the hurricane, I mean they fly *into* the hurricane.

Here they are in the eye of Milton.

And here they are in the eye of Irma.

As you may notice, this flight was in Kermit.

So the next time you see live data about a hurricane's wind speed and pressure, just remember how that was collected and don't be a giant turd about it.

And please vote because conservatives want to kill NOAA.

This is serious But I also just want everyone to know that Kermit and Miss Piggy have retro-style nose artwork of the characters:

I was so enamored with the ornaments. I didn't think to check for nose art. Thanks for adding this!

the kermit nose art should be sexier. it’s equality.gif

From tropical depression to Cat 4 hurricane in 48 hours, then to Cat 5 hurricane (sustained 165+ mph winds) in 24 hours. Holy forking shirt this thing is gonna kill some people.

This week it is Florida, but the same applies.

A Message to my Followers who are going to be impacted by Hurricane Florence.

This hurricane is dangerous.

Please, take it seriously.

It is not just a thunderstorm.

Take it from someone who went through Katrina and saw the damage a hurricane can do when it sits and builds.

It changes entire landscapes.

It kills.

Get gas now. The gas stations will begin to either run out, or put a limit to how much gas you can get. Get it now while you can, because I remember distinctly the way the abandoned cars looked on the highway while we were evacuating.

Once that storm hits, the gas stations will shut down. There will be no gas for a week, at least.

You will be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Make sure your car is in good working order. The amount of cars left behind on the highway is astounding.

Bring your pets in case of flooding, don’t leave them behind or in a shelter.

Take a picture of every single thing in your house the way it is. Ever dresser. Everything. If it floods, this will help with the insurance.

Power will be out for a week, possibly more. Take anything that will spoil, eat it now/bring it with you/throw it out. You don’t want to come back to a house that is 80°+ inside with spoiled food. It smells disgusting. I know from first hand experience.

Pack as much clothes + whatever else you need as you can. You don’t know what you will be returning to, if anything at all. I hate to say it, but there were so many homes lost in Katrina in mg area to flooding & I didn’t even live in the Soup Bowl.

From what I’ve seen, the outer bands are strengthening. They’re red at this point. This hurricane is getting stronger, and it’s well built. There are no winds to tear it apart. It’s eye is holding together, and that’s terrifying. A well built storm like this one can ruin lives. It’s not a joke.

Please, please stay safe. Evacuate ASAP if you’re in the direct line.

Don’t wait until it is here. That is how you get killed. Do not evacuate in the middle of it. Don’t wait until last minute.

It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Please stay safe.

Listen to the news. Follow their advice.

Leave while you still can, before the highways get clogged up. Go as far in-land as you can. Leave the state entirely if you have to.

We did. And we still felt the effects of Katrina.

Please, stay safe.

Hurricanes are moving more slowly over both land and water, and that’s bad news for communities in their path.

In the past 70 years, tropical cyclones around the world have slowed down 10 percent, and in some regions of the world, the change has been even more significant, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

That means storms are spending more time hanging out, battering buildings with wind and dropping more rain.

“The slowdown over land is what’s really going to effect people,” says James Kossin, the author of the study and a tropical cyclone specialist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He points to Hurricane Harvey’s effect on Houston as an example of what slower storms can mean for cities.

Hurricanes Are Moving More Slowly, Which Means More Damage

Photo: Katie Hayes Luke for NPR