A NOAA plane flew straight into the eye of Hurricane Beryl on 2 July to gather data for forecasters and further the organizataion’s hurricane research.
The hurricane, which has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm, is currently barreling toward Jamaica with 165mph winds. It has already passed over Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, leaving a path of destruction and killing at least two people.
Beryl is the earliest Category 5 storm recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. It grew from a tropical depression to a Category 5 in a matter of days due to above-average ocean temperatures.