Hurricane Hunters Facing Tough Choices Due to Budget Reductions

The Hurricane Hunters are tracking Tropical Storm Dorian while also keeping an eye on the bottom line.

With budget reductions and furloughs, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is facing some tough choices as to which storms they fly into and how often.

Col. Craig LaFave, commander of the 403rd Reserve Wing at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss., tells WLOX-TV that the Hurricane Hunters will only be able to fly so many missions at a time.

LaFave says the 53rd can do two missions for a short time but three is impossible.

Officials say if two simultaneous missions prove to be too much, it may come down to some hard choices.

LaFave says his team is trying to figure out ways to make the numbers work.