Incredible photos from inside the eye of Hurricane Dorian

The US Air Force has captured eerily calm photos from inside the eye of Hurricane Dorian, as the category 5 storm continues on its path of destruction.

As the second strongest Atlantic storm on record bears down on the Bahamas, pilots from the US Air Force have captured photos of the eerily calm conditions inside the eye of the hurricane.

Images from inside the category 5 Hurricane Dorian were captured by the air force’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron — also known as the “Hurricane Hunters”.

The squad is tasked with flying into powerful storms like Dorian to gather data for the National Hurricane Centre.

An image taken after the plane broke through to the centre of the storm captured a phenomenon known as the “stadium effect” and was posted to Twitter by Lieutenant Garret Black.

The eye of #Dorian pic.twitter.com/XN29zC46IP

— Garrett Black (@GBlack22wx) September 1, 2019

This phenomenon makes the clouds around the eye rise up on all sides until it looks like a giant bowl or sports arena.

This effect is often seen during very strong hurricanes.

The Hurricane Hunters have been carrying out a series of missions to collect weather data such as temperature, wind speed, wind direction, humidity and surface pressure.

Crews usually fly through the eye of a storm four to six times in order to locate its low pressure centre.

Major Kendall Dunn, who is part of the squadron, said the team would be repositioning to fly out of Florida as the storm closes in on the US.

“It’s like chess, this is the time where experience is crucial for planning and staging our mission,” Major Dunn said.

“This is why reservists are invaluable to our mission.”

A view of Hurricane Dorian from Hurricane Hunter P-3 Aircraft taken early on Saturday. Picture: Paul Chang/National Hurricane Center/AP

Hurricane Dorian made landfall on Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands with maximum sustained winds of 295km/h and gusts of more than 354km/h.

Hundreds hunkered down in schools, churches and shelters as winds ripped off roofs, overturned cars and tore down powerlines.

In some parts of Abaco, “you cannot tell the difference as to the beginning of the street versus where the ocean begins”, said Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis.

The storm has pounded the Bahamian islands of Great Abaco and Grand Bahama and is forecast to move dangerously close to Florida in the next two days.

Abaco #HurricaneDorian2019 #AbacoIslands #Bahamas #Dorian2019 pic.twitter.com/obqb8NZiXX

— Brian (@crabanddough) September 1, 2019

The National Hurricane Centre has forecast Dorian will be just 65km to 80km off the coast of Florida by Tuesday.

Authorities in Florida ordered mandatory evacuations in some vulnerable coastal areas.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has also ordered a mandatory evacuation of the entire coast of the state amid Dorian’s threat.

The order, which covers about 830,000 people, goes into effect at noon on Monday when state troopers will begin reversing lanes so they all head inland on major coastal highways.

“We can’t make everybody happy,” Mr McMaster said.

“But we believe we can keep everyone alive.”