The HLP Project

For those of you who followed the 2004 hurricane session, you might remember reading about a "hurricane chasing" vehicle built by Mark Sudduth.

It was loosely modeled after the tornado chasing vehicles used in the mid west. Mark had a steel platform welded on the roof of his old Isuzu. The platform was to act as a base on which to secure several video cameras inside of SCUBA housings. It would also anchor the mast that held the anemometer to measure the wind.

Some of the information was stored on a computer inside the truck and some on video tape. Once set up it would be unmanned and on it's own to face the oncoming storm.

With all the equipment installed the Isuzu was painted bright yellow to make it more visible and by late August she was ready for her first storm

The HLP's first mission was hurricane Frances

The Isuzu was placed out on Sewall's Point- very near Hutchinson Island. The one-time category four monster turned out to be a lumbering slob as it tracked very slowly across Florida. But during the storm the HLP truck gathered video and weather data all while being completely un-manned.

Next up was powerful hurricane Ivan.

Working with the Gulf Shores, Alabama Police Department Mark found a place as close to the Gulf of Mexico as possible to park the HPL.

The HLP Truck was tied down with sturdy straps, all of the gear was turned on and the HLP truck was left to face hurricane Ivan on her own. Like the Trouper she was, (pun intended) she stood her ground transmitting video images and meteorologic data back to Mark who monitored the data from a relatively safe location.

As the massive storm surge approached, Mark knew that Ivan was going to take out the HLP truck. The HLP continued to transmit data back right up to the point when the storm surge covered her, eventually with 20 feet of water. Even while submerged she continued recording video. As Mark had feared the HLP was no match for the storm surge and was ripped from its tie-downs and moved a good 500 feet to the north of where she was left. A day after Ivan made landfall Mark found the Isuzu.

A lot of valuable data was gathered to help us and the National Hurricane Center better understand hurricanes. Hopefully the scientist will be able to use enough of the information gathered to make her sacrifice worthwhile. Only time will tell but in my mind she is a hero. Thats why I decided to try to restore her.

Below are a couple of video clips from that mission:

• Video of the storm surge rolling in to Gulf Shores as seen from the top of the un-manned Isuzu Rodeo roof-cam
  
  
• Another video clip showing the surge as it rushes in from the Gulf of Mexico
  
  
• A different camera facing 180 degrees opposite the first camera showing the effects of Ivan from high atop the un-manned SUV
  
  
• Video clip of when Mark came upon the battered Isuzu late in the day after Ivan had made landfall
  

After getting the HLP out of Gulf Shores, Mark towed it home and promptly sold it on Ebay.

Guess who bought it.

This was taken the day I took possession of the semi-historic SUV.

I hope to restore the HLP vehicle to it former galore but it will take some time she needs a lot of work. The motor needs replacing some of the electrical needs replacing and some body work. The salt water took a heave toll. To further complicate maters I'm 15, and i don't have the money that it costs to replace the engine. But I would like to see the HLP preserved as part of the Hurricane history she is. In all likelyhood there will never be another research vehicle like her built again. Not that the need is not there, just that the knowledge she has contributed has lead to the development of a new generation of research equipment.

The HLP was the end of the first generation of hurricane research vehicles. The second generation is already ready to take on this seasons storms but the word vehicle will no longer be in its name.

I am currently working with a group of amateur meteorologists on developing the third generation of hurricane research gathering equipment. It will be a major leap forward in technology and if we can find the sponsors it may be ready for the 2006 season.