Kait McLaughlin has never considered herself much of a risk-taker.
“I am one of the most stable and logical people I know,” laughs McLaughlin, a longtime resident of Biloxi and a mother of one. “I mean, I make my little girl wear a helmet when she rides her bike. I don’t take any chances.”
Nevertheless, Lt. Col. Kait McLaughlin spends her days working as a 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron chief aerial reconnaissance weather officer as part of the Air Force Reserve unit attached to the 403rd Wing at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.
And basically, she loves flying into hurricanes.
“You fly in at 10,000 feet, and there are these feeder bands,” says McLaughlin, who grew up in Massachusetts dreaming of the day that she could become like the hurricane hunters she read about in the book The Perfect Storm. “It gets a little bumpy as you go through several of those feeder bands until you finally approach the eyewall. And at that point, everything goes very, very calm.”
It’s a feeling that world-renowned storm chaser Josh Morgerman has also felt. “I just remember when I was a toddler, that I would get very excited if the wind would blow or there would be crazy lightning,” says the native New Yorker who moved to Mississippi just over three years ago. “Any kind of atmospheric violence would get me very stimulated.”
And in the 18 years he has spent chasing hurricanes, Morgerman has found himself inside the cores of 67 hurricanes. Yet, unlike McLaughlin, he has experienced every single one while standing on the ground.
“When you’re in a violent hurricane, it feels like it has a personality,” he explains. “It feels angry. It feels full of rage. But feeling that rage is part of the chaser’s lifestyle. You’re constantly walking along the edge of a cliff, hoping that you’ll never fall in.”
And it’s the data and the knowledge that Morgerman and McLaughlin collect during their various missions that have probably helped save hundreds of thousands of lives up and down the Gulf Coast, especially during the somewhat intimidating hurricane season of June 1 to November 30.
“Anyone who considers themselves a coastal resident is there because they want to see that sparkly water every day, no matter if it’s hurricane season or not,” remarks Morgerman, who currently stars in the TV series Mission Hurricane. “But the Gulf can be so very dangerous.”
Indeed, from Hurricane Camille in 1969 to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to countless other named systems that decimated Mississippi’s beloved coastline, Mississippi residents have long felt the wrath of the earth’s most terrifying weather. And far too many of those residents have ultimately lost their lives.
Nevertheless, people continue to flock here, including Morgerman. It was during the beginning of the pandemic when the noted hurricane chaser decided to rent a small cottage in Bay St. Louis.
“The eye of the second strongest hurricane in American history, Hurricane Camille, passed right over Bay St. Louis,” Morgerman notes. “This is the heart of hurricane country on the Gulf Coast, and logistically it works for me.”
But there’s more to it than that.
“You look at the Gulf every day, and, most of the time, it looks tranquil and nice and friendly,” Morgerman says. “It supplies the economy, and it sort of powers the lifestyle here. But it can also grow fangs and get really nasty. And it’s that nastiness that I like to go and chase.” But make no mistake—when this tranquil body of water gets riled up, it can turn somewhat scary, even for professionals.
“I can tell you, without a doubt, that I would rather fly through a storm than be on the ground for one,” stresses McLaughlin. “It’s the unknown of the storm when you are on the ground that is nerve-racking. You don’t have to worry about flying debris or storm surges or electrical lines when you are up there in the air. I think the majority of the time, it’s honestly safer in the air.”
Indeed, a life spent within the eyes of hurricanes has given both McLaughlin and Morgerman the ability to speak on not only the fierceness of these metrological monsters, but also the ability to speak on the importance of preparedness for these metrological monsters.
“It’s all about having a plan,” explains McLaughlin, who will retire from her official post in 2025. “This plan needs to be spoken about, written down with one’s family, and made somewhat tangible to everyone involved. It’s also so important to establish a deadline for getting out. You never, ever want to wake up and have a Cat 5 hurricane over your head.”
Morgerman can also speak on the importance of preparedness, as he has found himself in many situations where the buildings and houses he thought he was taking shelter in during a hurricane began tearing apart. But there are many ways to avoid that dire situation.
“If you’re building or buying in coastal Mississippi, know the elevation because that will determine how vulnerable you are to storm surge,” cautions Morgerman. “There are also many ways to make a house storm resistant, from metal roofs to shutters on the windows to impact glass. The windows and the roof are the most vulnerable points of a home during a hurricane. If the roof rips off or a window breaks, it’s game over.”
Morgerman finds himself listening to his advice these days as he begins to build his own permanent home in Mississippi. Working alongside noted builder Bo Ladner of Paramount Contracting, Morgerman says he will utilize housing materials such as cement fiber, heavy composite shutters, and a standing seam metal roof.
“By putting down roots in Mississippi, in the heart of the United State’s hurricane country, I’ll always be in the game in some way,” Morgerman says quietly before letting out a slight chuckle. “I have a porch and a rocker and a swing. This Yankee really took to that tradition. I love it here.”
And while McLaughlin is set to retire from her post in 2025, she will remember fondly the beauty she discovered countless times in the eyes of countless hurricanes. “I actually promised myself that if I ever didn’t think that (the eye of a hurricane) was beautiful, I would quit,” she explains.
BE PREPARED
- Stay informed: Monitor weather reports and stay informed of hurricane alerts, warnings, and evacuation orders.
- Make an emergency kit: Prepare a disaster kit that includes essentials such as food, water, first aid kit, medications, and important documents.
- Secure your home: Protect your home by installing storm shutters, reinforcing doors and windows, and trimming trees and branches that may damage your home during a storm.
- Plan for evacuation: Plan your evacuation route ahead of time, including where you will go and how you will get there.
- Have a communication plan: Create a communication plan with family and friends to stay in touch in case you get separated during a storm.
- Prepare for power outages: Have extra batteries, flashlights, and a portable radio to stay updated on weather alerts and evacuation orders.
- Secure loose outdoor items: Secure any outdoor items that may become dangerous projectiles during a storm, such as patio furniture, grills, and toys.
- Keep your car ready: Keep your gas tank full and have emergency supplies in your car, including a first aid kit, blankets, and food and water.
- Protect important documents: Protect important documents by storing them in a waterproof and fireproof safe or by keeping them in a safe location away from your home.
- Check your insurance: Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage for your home and belongings, including flood insurance if you live in a high-risk area.
