Cuts to NOAA have decreased the number of hurricane hunter flight directors which could impact this season's hurricane forecast predictions.

One shouldn’t expect a smooth ride through a hurricane, but Milton knocked the Hurricane Hunter crew around a bit as they entered the storm’s eye Tuesday.

Hurricane Hunters often spend up to 10 hours in turbulent conditions while collecting data for the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Ernesto Forms

If you’ve always wanted to get up close with Hurricane Hunters aircrafts and the pilots and meteorologists that fly them, next week is your chance.

Earlier, Tropical Depression 9 was investigated by Hurricane Hunters, and they found a broad area of low pressure. Still, since being on station, they recorded a gradual increase in air pressure and a nearly complete loss of showers and storms anywhere near the center. Not quite a tropical storm, yet.

At 500 PM AST (2100 UTC), the large ragged eye of Hurricane Earl was located near latitude 35.9 North, longitude 58.7 West.

Zeta is moving toward the east-northeast near 55 mph (89 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue through tonight. On the forecast track, the center of Zeta will emerge over the western Atlantic this evening. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts. A sustained wind of 39 mph (63 km/h) and a gust to 46 mph (74 km/h) were recently reported at Ocean City, Maryland. RAINFALL: The last of the heavy rainfall along the track of Zeta will impact the Mid-Atlantic through this evening.