Drone Captures 140mph Hurricane Helene's Fury Inside

Footage inside the eyewall of Hurricane Helene, captured before the powerful storm made landfall. Credit: Courtesy Saildrone and NOAA

Hurricane Helene unleashed turbulent seas.

In a groundbreaking collaboration, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Saildrone, a pioneer in innovative sailing drones, deployed a robust robot into the heart of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Thursday night. Before the storm brought catastrophic storm surges and extreme 140 mph winds, the drone captured breathtaking footage from within the storm’s eyewall, where the strongest winds reside.

The 30-second video below, transmitted from the drone, was recorded on Sept. 26 at around 7:45 p.m. ET (a short ad plays first). The average height of the tallest waves reaches approximately 30 feet, or 9 meters. Powerful gusts buffet the drone, which measures 23 feet in length and 16 feet in height.

These specially designed robots are built to withstand hurricanes, with the primary goal of gathering unprecedented data about these cyclones and their evolution.

The location of the Saildrone above, SD-1083, as it captured footage in Hurricane Helene's eyewall. — The location of the Saildrone above, SD-1083, as it captured footage in Hurricane Helene’s eyewall. Credit: Saildrone / NOAA

NOAA leverages Saildrones due to their proven ability to directly gather observations of ocean and atmospheric conditions on the sea surface. It is at this critical interface, where the oceans interact with the air, that hurricanes begin to intensify, sometimes rapidly.

While multiple factors contribute to the formation of strong hurricanes (including a lack of opposing winds that can disrupt storms, moist or dry air, etc.), a crucial influence is warm sea surface temperatures exceeding 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius). Warm oceans serve as a catalyst for hurricanes, storm scientists explain, as they fuel tropical storms by evaporating more water into the air, providing energy and moisture for intensification.

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Consider Hurricane Helene, which leveraged extraordinary warm sea temperatures to experience swift intensification, ultimately transforming into a colossal storm. At present, Atlantic hurricanes are now twice as prone to transition from a moderate storm into a category 5 hurricane.