With hurricane season in full swing, NOAA will host a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) on "The Science of Hurricane Hunting to Improve Forecasts" September 22, 2016.

Hurricane scientist Frank Marks, Sc.D., the director of the Hurricane Research Division at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, and P-3 hurricane hunter pilot Commander Justin Kibbey of the NOAA Corps will answer your questions. The first half of hurricane season has produced a significant number of storms in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, and the AMA is a great opportunity to learn more about how and why NOAA studies these storms.

About the Reddit Science AMA

Who : Frank Marks, Sc.D., NOAA hurricane researcher; Commander Justin Kibbey, P-3 pilot

: Frank Marks, Sc.D., NOAA hurricane researcher; Commander Justin Kibbey, P-3 pilot When : Thursday, September 22, 2016, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. EDT

: Thursday, September 22, 2016, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. EDT Where: reddit.com

About Frank and Justin

Frank Marks, Sc.D., has been flying into tropical cyclones since 1980, and has logged over 10,000 hours on the P-3 aircraft since then. He received his doctor of science degree in Meteorology from MIT. Along with being an expert in tropical cyclones (known as hurricanes here in the U.S.), he also serves as the research lead of NOAA’s Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project (HFIP).

Commander Justin Kibbey of the NOAA Corps is a veteran P-3 pilot. In March 2010, he was selected for an interservice transfer from the U.S. Navy to the NOAA Corps at the Aircraft Operations Center in Tampa, Florida. He flew his first hurricane mission in September 2010, and he has flown approximately 20 flights every year since. He helps scientists like Dr. Marks gather data by flying planes into hurricanes.

About Reddit Ask Me Anything series

Reddit’s Ask Me Anything (AMA) series was created by the Reddit community as an opportunity for interesting and qualified individuals to answer questions from Reddit users about their profession and life. The science community of Reddit decided to create an independent AMA series, known as the Science AMA Series. The goal is to encourage discussion and facilitate outreach while generating an improved conversation between scientists and the general public.