Local

SEE: Get an inside look at a hurricane hunter airplane

ORLANDO, Fla. — Forecasters are relying on critical information about Tropical Storm Nicole that’s being gathered by hurricane-hunter airplanes.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

Channel 9 got a chance to fly onboard one of the Super Hercules aircraft on Tuesday.

The modified cargo plane took off from Lakeland and flew straight into Nicole three times.

NICOLE LIVE UPDATES: Nicole nears hurricane status as it nears Florida; see timeline for conditions

The plane is full of high-tech gear to measure every aspect of the storm.

The mission for the hurricane hunters on the flight is to find the center of Tropical Storm Nicole.

READ: Tropical Storm Nicole: Which Central Florida counties have issued curfews?

The round trip into the storm lasted 10 hours.

See the full story in the video above.

READ: Tropical Storm Nicole: Here’s when Central Florida theme parks close, and when they’ll reopen

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Adam Poulisse, WFTV.com

Adam Poulisse joined WFTV in November 2019.