Dramatic video as Saildrone intercepts hurricane Isaias

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Before Hurricane Isaias made landfall on October 9th, a Saildrone vessel intercepted the storm collecting critical data.

According to the Saildrone team, this pass “earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. SD-1045 is the Saildrone that intercepted Hurricane Isaias. SD-1045 has been on the water for every NOAA/Saildrone hurricane mission since 2021, when it intercepted Category 4 Hurricane Sam. It earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records during that storm for measuring the highest wind speed ever recorded by an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV): 109.83 knots (126.4 mph)

Meteorologist Kaitlin Wright spoke with the director of data programs, Matt Womble, about what it encountered and how the data could improve hurricane forecasting.