The Eyewall of a Typhoon

sdommin · June 3, 2006

I'm in the process of re-scanning a bunch of my old negatives for my website (I used to be a Hurricane Hunter / Typhoon Chaser). Here's a shot from 1983 - this is the eyewall of Super Typhoon Forrest from our WC130 airplane. We're about 10,000 feet up, looking down at the actual center of the typhoon (just below the engine). The eyewall is the area in the top half of the photo. The eye itself was only about 5 miles across, making this one of the strongest storms in history. Luckily, we were in the western Pacific Ocean, away from land.

Taken with a Canon A-1 camera and a Sigma 16mm fish-eye lens, on Kodacolor negative film.

Mr. 2H2O · June 3, 2006

Hey Scott - that's pretty cool. I like taking pics of cloud formations out of plane windows - its always interesting to me to see how the various levels of heat/cold and moisture rise and fall. My kids get a kick out of seeing the clouds from the top instead of the bottom.

Mike

wxwax · June 3, 2006

Excellent!

When did you stop flying?

sdommin · June 3, 2006

Thanks Mike & Sid. I left the Air Force in 1986.

Awais Yaqub · June 3, 2006

weldone a shot to remember

deeya · June 4, 2006

sdommin wrote:

I'm in the process of re-scanning a bunch of my old negatives for my website (I used to be a Hurricane Hunter / Typhoon Chaser). Here's a shot from 1983 - this is the eyewall of Super Typhoon Forrest from our WC130 airplane. We're about 10,000 feet up, looking down at the actual center of the typhoon (just below the engine). The eyewall is the area in the top half of the photo. The eye itself was only about 5 miles across, making this one of the strongest storms in history. Luckily, we were in the western Pacific Ocean, away from land.

Nice shot.... I spent about 5 years working as a civilian with the AF Reserve Storm Trackers... got to fly into a hurricane off of Bermuda once... what a great experience. You guys had all the fun!

Denise

sdommin · June 4, 2006

Thanks, Awais. I know that Pakistan can be affected by tropical storms, but its pretty rare.

Denise - I was at Keesler from 1983 until 1987. How about you?

Thusie · June 4, 2006

Very cool!

deeya · June 4, 2006

sdommin wrote:

Denise - I was at Keesler from 1983 until 1987. How about you?

Scott, I was Civil Service at Keesler from about 82-92.. with the 403rd from 85-90. I'm still down on the Coast... in AL now.. but Mom is still in Ocean Springs..

I saw the pix of Pass Christian in your gallery... beautiful shots... those piers are probably gone now though

I drove as far along Hwy 90 as I could at Christmas... it's pretty sad... tree limbs from the Live Oaks are a pretty common site in areas along the beach... there is still so much to do but every time I go home, they have made a little progress.

Denise

The Eyewall of a Typhoon

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