Latest news with #MissPiggy
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Inside the Storm: Hurricane Hunters save lives from the sky
LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) – When a hurricane threatens the coast, most people board up, pack up, and head inland, but for a small but mighty team based in Lakeland, evacuation isn't part of the plan because their job is to fly directly into the eye of the storm. They are NOAA's Hurricane Hunters, a brave crew of pilots, scientists, engineers, and flight directors who risk their lives to gather the data that helps meteorologists predict where hurricanes will go and how powerful they'll be when they arrive. Surviving the Storm: A look back at 2024's wild hurricane season 'We just hit a pocket of lightning, and the whole interior of the aircraft lit up,' said NOAA pilot Andrew Reves, describing one of many intense flights. 'You can hear the radios pop.' Flying into a hurricane takes an entire crew. It is tightly coordinated and scientifically essential. Each flight delivers real-time data to the National Hurricane Center in Miami — data that satellites alone can't provide. 'A lot of times, people ask if we're scared when we do this,' said Captain Nate Kahn, Commanding Officer at NOAA's Aircraft Operations Center. 'Absolutely. But in the moment, you're so focused, so trained, you're not afraid.' Using two 50-year-old WP-3D Orion turboprop planes nicknamed Kermit and Miss Piggy, the Hurricane Hunters slice through intense rain bands. Despite their age, the aircraft haven't had major structural upgrades — they're designed to ride the storm, not fight it. 'We allow the storm to push us up and push us down,' Kahn explained. 'If we tried to maintain a set altitude, the storm would break the airplane.' These planes often experience rapid vertical drops — sometimes 1,500 feet or more — in mere seconds, making each flight feel more like a rollercoaster than a routine operation. But it's what's inside that makes the difference: an array of sensors and instruments that collect detailed measurements of wind speed, barometric pressure, temperature, and humidity. 'It's sort of like taking a CAT scan of the storm,' said aerospace engineer Nick Underwood. 'All that data gets pushed together to give us a clear picture of how the storm is developing.' One of the most critical tools is the dropsonde — a small device launched at specific points throughout the storm that transmits data as it falls. When combined with radar and other instruments, these tools provide the 3D model forecasters rely on. 'We're constantly communicating with the ground and making sure we're collecting the data that matters,' flight director Jon Zawislak said. 'That all goes into the models.' While new technology is beginning to play a role — like autonomous drones that can fly within 100 feet of the ocean's surface — it's still the Hurricane Hunters who provide the highest-quality, in-storm data. 'We're using uncrewed systems to collect data we couldn't get any other way,' said Capt. Bill Mowitt, Director of NOAA's Uncrewed Operations Center. 'It's already showing us ways we can improve our models.' For many of these scientists, the mission is personal. Some call Florida home — meaning they often fly into storms threatening their own neighborhoods. 'We were the crew on the final mission before Hurricane Milton made landfall,' Zawislak said. 'We could see the effects on Tampa Bay and St. Pete. We were flying right over it.' And as hurricane season approaches, these men and women have one message for the people on the ground: 'Be prepared. That's what makes all of this worth it.' From the heart of the storm to our local forecast, the data collected by the Hurricane Hunters is crucial for keeping communities safe. WFLA's 'Surviving the Storm' Hurricane special is airing on May 31 at 7 p.m. You can watch it at 7 p.m. on air on WFLA News Channel 8 or through the Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Bumpy flight into Hurricane Milton on NOAA's WP-3D aircraft known as 'Miss Piggy' on Oct. 8, 2024.
Bumpy flight into Hurricane Milton on NOAA's WP-3D aircraft known as Miss Piggy on Oct. 8, 2024. Credit Nick Underwood
Sky News AU
4 days ago
- Sky News AU
Passenger arrested for 'smacking' boy who called her 'fat', 'Miss Piggy' on flight home from Disney World Orlando
A female passenger has been charged with child abuse for attacking a child who had called her 'fat' and 'Miss Piggy' on a flight home from Disney World, according to airport police. Although the exact relationship between Kristy Crampton and the boy was not clear, they were part of a group returning home to Maryland from their Disney trip when she was arrested Monday at Sanford-Orlando International Airport, according to an airport police report obtained by WFTV. Crampton started swinging at the child just before takeoff when he told Krampton she was too fat to sit in her seat, witnesses told police. She punched him and then hit him with a water bottle — before slamming the child's head into the airplane window as he tried to block her blows, airport police said in their report. The pilot called police for help, and Crampton was taken into custody at the gate. Crampton told police the child was 'very rude' and 'disrespectful' during their Disney trip. After the child called her 'fat' on the plane, Crampton took his phone away — then started 'smacking' him when he twice shoved her arm off her armrest, she told cops. However, a witness told police that 'the woman was not correcting the child; she was abusing him.' Their relationship was not immediately clear, and the family declined to provide statements to police, WFTV said. Crampton was charged with felony child abuse. She appeared in Seminole County court Tuesday, where a judge granted her release on a $10,000 bond. She was ordered to have no contact with the child. Originally published as Passenger arrested for 'smacking' boy who called her 'fat', 'Miss Piggy' on flight home from Disney World Orlando
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Woman Accused of 'Smacking' Boy Who Called Her 'Fat' at Airport Faces Felony Child Abuse Charges
A woman was arrested and now faces felony child abuse charges after reportedly "smacking" a child on an airplane The child reported called Kristy Crampton "fat" and referred to her as "Miss Piggy" before she allegedly began to hit him "The woman was not correcting the child; she was abusing him,' a witness to the alleged crime said in the police reportKristy Crampton was arrested and charged with felony child abuse after reportedly "smacking" a child on a flight departing Sanford-Orlando International Airport in Sanford, Fla. According to the arrest report from the Sanford Airport Police, which was examined by WFTV, Sanford was detained by police after an alleged outburst that occurred on an Allegiant Airlines flight that was headed for Hagerstown, Md. on Monday, May 26. She reportedly struck out after the child called her "fat" and "Miss Piggy," the latter being a reference to the Muppets character of the same name. In the report, Crampton accused him of being "very rude" and "disrespectful" to her during their time together. She allegedly told police that she took away his phone but resorted to physical violence after he continued to misbehave. According to witnesses, she used her fist and a water bottle to strike the child. Crampton also allegedly "slammed" his head into the window. During the attack, he reportedly attempted to protect himself from her blows by covering his head. "The woman was not correcting the child; she was abusing him," a witness told police. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. On Tuesday, May 27, Crampton was released on a $10,000 bond after a hearing in front of a Seminole County judge. She was reportedly ordered not to reach out to the child for the time being. Per WFTV, the child's family did not provide police with a statement at the time of the arrest. It is not immediately clear how old the boy was or the specifics of his relationship with Crampton. However, the outlet reported that they were part of the same group that was in Florida to visit Disney World. PEOPLE reached out to the Sanford Airport Police and Sanford-Orlando International Airport for additional comment, but they did not immediately respond. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Woman Accused of 'Smacking' Boy Who Called Her 'Fat' at Airport Faces Felony Child Abuse Charges
A woman was arrested and now faces felony child abuse charges after reportedly "smacking" a child on an airplane The child reported called Kristy Crampton "fat" and referred to her as "Miss Piggy" before she allegedly began to hit him "The woman was not correcting the child; she was abusing him,' a witness to the alleged crime said in the police reportKristy Crampton was arrested and charged with felony child abuse after reportedly "smacking" a child on a flight departing Sanford-Orlando International Airport in Sanford, Fla. According to the arrest report from the Sanford Airport Police, which was examined by WFTV, Sanford was detained by police after an alleged outburst that occurred on an Allegiant Airlines flight that was headed for Hagerstown, Md. on Monday, May 26. She reportedly struck out after the child called her "fat" and "Miss Piggy," the latter being a reference to the Muppets character of the same name. In the report, Crampton accused him of being "very rude" and "disrespectful" to her during their time together. She allegedly told police that she took away his phone but resorted to physical violence after he continued to misbehave. According to witnesses, she used her fist and a water bottle to strike the child. Crampton also allegedly "slammed" his head into the window. During the attack, he reportedly attempted to protect himself from her blows by covering his head. "The woman was not correcting the child; she was abusing him," a witness told police. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. On Tuesday, May 27, Crampton was released on a $10,000 bond after a hearing in front of a Seminole County judge. She was reportedly ordered not to reach out to the child for the time being. Per WFTV, the child's family did not provide police with a statement at the time of the arrest. It is not immediately clear how old the boy was or the specifics of his relationship with Crampton. However, the outlet reported that they were part of the same group that was in Florida to visit Disney World. PEOPLE reached out to the Sanford Airport Police and Sanford-Orlando International Airport for additional comment, but they did not immediately respond. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People
