TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Florida — Hangers once used to keep aircraft out of the elements now lie scattered across the flight line following Hurricane Michael on Oct. 10, 2018. Hurricane Michael is the third largest hurricane to make landfall in the United States, reaching peak winds of 155 miles per hour.
Tyndall Air Force Base is preparing for the arrival of Tropical Storm Helene, which is projected to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane with winds up to 110 mph and strike the Florida Panhandle around Sept. 26.
Tyndall declared Hurricane Condition Level 3 on Tuesday, signaling that the storm poses a “potential threat to Tyndall with destructive winds possible within 48 hours.” Although no evacuation orders have been issued for personnel, the base commander has advised individuals staying at the installation’s “Fam Camp” campground to evacuate as a precaution, according to an update on the base’s social media page.
Base officials are actively coordinating with local agencies, including Bay and Gulf Counties and Bay District Schools, and personnel from the 325th Fighter Wing are expected to report as usual on September 25. In anticipation of the storm, Tyndall’s 95th Fighter Squadron has relocated its F-35 aircraft to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, where they will remain until conditions are deemed safe at Tyndall.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Helene is expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico by Sept. 25, with landfall projected for the evening of Sept. 26 along the Florida Panhandle. The storm’s forecast path currently places Tallahassee, about 90 miles east of Tyndall, at its center. Tyndall and nearby Panama City fall within the forecast “cone” and are under a tropical storm warning.
Tyndall Air Force Base is in the midst of a $5 billion reconstruction project, aimed at rebuilding what was destroyed by Hurricane Michael in 2018 and enhancing its resilience against future storms. The renovation includes features such as a 360-room lodge built to withstand winds of up to 165 mph. The base, which began receiving its first F-35s in August, recently transitioned from F-22 Raptor training to becoming a central hub for the Lightning II. The 95th Fighter Squadron, which plays a key role in this mission, was reactivated in June 2023 after a four-year hiatus following Hurricane Michael’s devastation.
