Testing The Strength Of A Hurricane At UMD Wind Tunnel

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Hurricane season is upon us and it's expected to be an active one.

To understand mother nature's force, Tracey Leong went to the University of Maryland to experience it first hand and talk to the experts.

To better understand the wind strength of a hurricane, WJZ was invited to step inside their wind tunnel. The machine is powered by B29 bomber blades.

As we enter hurricane season, the goal of the simulation is to give people an idea just how powerful wind can be.

"There will be a lot of tree limbs broken and anything loose outdoors will start flying around," says Jewel Barlow, University of Maryland Wind Tunnel Director.

The wind's fascinating force captivates researchers at the University of Maryland's School of Engineering.

"There are things we do here to help people prepare for a hurricane," says Jewel Barlow, MD Wind Tunnel Director.

"To be able to feel it physically on a personal level gives you insight into how powerful these storms are," says Greg Porter, Atmospheric & Oceanic Science.

Hurricane season runs through November.

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