"‘Hurricane Hunter’ crew spent 6 weeks at PDX, studying atmospheric rivers" by Oregon Public Broadcasting OPB (PBS Portland) - Results from #NOAA 6-week deployment to Portland #KPDX from Feb 1 to Mar 15 of Hurricane Hunter Gulfstream IV jet "Gonzo" #N49RF is already showing scientific results. New insights to structures of storms is expected to help improve forecasts of #AtmosphericRiver events. https://www.opb.org/article/2026/04/19/pdx-hurricane-hunter-crew-studying-atmospheric-rivers/ #aviation #avgeek #weather #PNW

I got a picture of #NOAA Hurricane Hunter Gulfstream IV jet "Gonzo" #N49RF departing Portland Airport #KPDX at the end of what was a 6-week deployment to the Pacific Northwest to collect data on Pacific #AtmosphericRiver storms. It's now returning to its home base in Lakeland, Florida #KLAL. #aviation #avgeek #weather #PNW

"NOAA Hurricane Hunters fly from PDX to study atmospheric rivers over the Pacific" by KATU News (ABC Portland) - More info on #science research in Hurricane Hunter Gulfstream IV jet "Gonzo" #N49RF temporary deployment to Portland. US Army Corps of Engineers is interested in better forecasts of rain events for management of reservoir levels. #NOAA's jet gets higher resolution radar/sensor profiles of storms from 40,000ft than satellites can. https://katu.com/news/local/noaa-hurricane-hunters-fly-from-pdx-to-study-atmospheric-rivers-over-the-pacific-gonzo-gulfstream-oceanic-administration-army-corp-engineers-scripps-institution-san-diego-research #aviation #avgeek #weather #PNW

#NOAA Hurricane Hunter Gulfstream IV jet "Gonzo" #N49RF continues their deployment to Portland to collect sensor data toward improving forecasts of Pacific atmospheric river storms. The plane has been flying out of PDX a few times a week since Feb 1. Today's flight starts earlier but is shorter. It looks like they don't have to go as far out to collect storm data today with a front coming ashore. [edit: Hmmm, flight plan was cancelled.] http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P%3Ac:%230fff3f,KPDX-OLM-ARRIE-48.30+N+124.63+W-CYVIC-DOLFF-48.19+N+132.38+W-FASEL-ZANNG-KYLLE-ONP-45.35+N+122.98+W-KPDX&MS=wls&DU=mi #aviation #avgeek #weather #PNW

There goes Gonzo! #NOAA Hurricane Hunter Gulfstream IV jet "Gonzo" #N49RF departing Portland International Airport #KPDX in the rain at noon PST today for #science observations from above the front off the coast. The data from these flights are intended to get more data from above Pacific fronts to improve computer forecasting models after a major atmospheric river event in December increased priority of studying them. #aviation #avgeek #weather #PNW

#NOAA Hurricane Hunter Gulfstream IV jet "Gonzo" #N49RF is scheduled to make a 6hr 45min flight over the Pacific today for #weather observations above fronts for atmospheric river research. This is the third week of their deployment to Portland. http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=c:%230fff3f,KPDX-FULMR-42.54+N+127.00+W-40.48+N+127.18+W-40.18+N+128.48+W-39.42+N+130.18+W-39.06+N+131.42+W-38.30+N+133.12+W-37.54+N+134.36+W-37.12+N+135.54+W-36.36+N+137.18+W-35.54+N+138.36+W-35.18+N+139.54+W-36.12+N+140.48+W-37.12+N+141.42+W-38.12+N+142.36+W-39.12+N+143.36+W-40.12+N+144.30+W-41.06+N+145.30+W-42.06+N+146.36+W-43.00+N+147.36+W-43.36+N+146.12+W-44.12+N+144.48+W-44.48+N+143.18+W-45.24+N+141.48+W-45.54+N+140.12+W-46.30+N+138.42+W-47.00+N+137.06+W-47.24+N+135.24+W-47.18+N+133.30+W-47.00+N+131.30+W-46.48+N+129.36+W-SEDAR-KEIKO-KPDX #aviation #avgeek #weather #PNW

Today's flight has been cancelled for #NOAA Hurricane Hunter jet #N49RF "Gonzo". I'm not sure if the weather didn't turn out as interesting for research or the plane wasn't ready. Something like this also happened a couple weeks ago earlier in their deployment to Portland. #aviation #avgeek #weather #PNW

#NOAA Hurricane Hunter Gulfstream IV jet "Gonzo" #N49RF has another 6+ hour #science observation flight from and back to Portland #KPDX on Tuesday. [edit: they're studying atmospheric river fronts to help improve forecast computer modeling.] [edit 2: this flight plan was delayed and then cancelled.] http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=c:%230fff3f,KPDX-HEMLO-41.54+N+127.18+W-39.06+N+128.24+W-38.06+N+129.30+W-37.06+N+130.42+W-36.06+N+131.48+W-35.00+N+132.48+W-34.00+N+133.54+W-33.00+N+134.54+W-31.54+N+135.54+W-33.00+N+136.54+W-34.12+N+137.54+W-35.12+N+139.00+W-36.18+N+140.06+W-37.24+N+141.12+W-38.30+N+142.24+W-39.30+N+143.36+W-40.24+N+142.00+W-41.12+N+140.24+W-42.06+N+138.48+W-42.54+N+137.06+W-43.36+N+135.24+W-43.42+N+133.36+W-43.42+N+131.48+W-43.42+N+130.00+W-43.42+N+128.12+W-KYLLE-ONP-45.35+N+122.98+W-KPDX
https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N49RF/history/20260217/1945Z/KPDX/KPDX
#aviation #avgeek #weather #PNW

#NOAA Hurricane Hunter Gulfstream IV jet "Gonzo" #N49RF is making another 6+ hour flight today returning to Portland. So I have once again fed an automated translation of the flight plan waypoints into Karl Swartz's Great Circle Mapper online tool to make a map image. They have been doing winter atmospheric river observations out of Portland for 2 weeks so far. Hopefully this will collect data they want for computer forecasting models. http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=c:%230fff3f,KPDX-HEVOL-LATAY-SEDAR-44.42+N+131.30+W-44.23+N+133.05+W-44.12+N+134.41+W-43.53+N+136.18+W-43.36+N+137.48+W-44.00+N+139.24+W-44.23+N+141.00+W-44.47+N+142.41+W-45.12+N+144.18+W-45.30+N+146.00+W-45.47+N+147.41+W-44.42+N+147.54+W-43.42+N+148.11+W-42.36+N+148.24+W-41.30+N+148.35+W-40.23+N+148.48+W-39.23+N+149.00+W-39.06+N+147.30+W-38.42+N+145.54+W-38.23+N+144.24+W-38.00+N+142.48+W-37.36+N+141.18+W-37.12+N+139.48+W-36.47+N+138.18+W-37.42+N+137.05+W-38.30+N+135.54+W-39.17+N+134.41+W-40.06+N+133.24+W-40.53+N+132.05+W-41.36+N+130.41+W-KYLLE-ONP-LARSN-45.35+N+122.98+W-KPDX #aviation #avgeek #weather #PNW

I entered the coordinates from the #NOAA #N49RF flight plan into Great Circle Mapper and got a map of today's #NOAA49 flight, currently in progress. http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=KPDX-HEMLO-38.42+N+130.00+W-38.18+N+131.18+W-37.54+N+132.36+W-37.30+N+133.54+W-37.06+N+135.12+W-36.36+N+136.24+W-36.12+N+137.42+W-35.42+N+138.54+W-35.12+N+140.06+W-34.42+N+141.18+W-34.12+N+142.30+W-35.18+N+143.00+W-36.18+N+143.30+W-37.18+N+144.06+W-38.24+N+144.36+W-39.24+N+145.12+W-40.24+N+145.48+W-41.30+N+146.24+W-42.30+N+147.00+W-42.48+N+145.30+W-43.06+N+143.54+W-43.24+N+142.24+W-43.42+N+140.48+W-44.00+N+139.12+W-44.12+N+137.36+W-44.24+N+136.00+W-44.36+N+134.18+W-44.42+N+132.42+W-44.54+N+131.06+W-45.00+N+129.24+W-SEDAR-KEIKO-45.75+N+122.59+W-KPDX #aviation #avgeek #mapgeek #weather