Experienced Storm Hunter Describes 'Unnerving' Flight into Eye of Hurricane Ian: 'So Much Lightning'

Hurricane Ian is poised to be a historically devastating storm, and one hurricane hunter is stunned by what he has already witnessed.

Nick Underwood, an aerospace engineer for the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), got a close-up look at Hurricane Ian early on Wednesday while collecting data on the storm aboard a Lockheed WP-3D Orion aircraft, according to The New York Times.

On Twitter, Underwood claimed the flight "was the worst I've ever been on" in his six years on the job.

"I've never seen so much lightning in an eye," Underwood wrote alongside an image of the storm from the plane that was taken at night, but was visible due to lightning.

"Absolutely wild," he wrote alongside several additional images from the flight. "I'm glad we only did one pass."

twitter The scene seen from outside Nick Underwood’s flight into the eye of Hurricane Ian

RELATED: Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall in Florida as 'Extremely Dangerous' Category 4 Storm

Underwood shared a video of the turbulent flight in a second tweet, and wrote, "When I say this was the roughest flight of my career so far, I mean it."

In an interview with the Times, Underwood said the flight was "unnerving" despite his experience in the air.

"We're kind of used to the up-and-down, roller coaster feeling that you get, but in this case, there was just a lot of lateral movement," he said after touching down in Houston.

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Underwood also shared photos of the "aftermath" in the plane's galley, where several items had been tossed around amid the turbulence.

"The flip flop," he noted, "was stowed underneath the table on the opposite side of the tube."

twitter Aftermath of the "rough flight"

RELATED: See Photos of Hurricane Ian's Path as Historic Storm Hits Florida

Underwood and his crew of hurricane hunters live in various parts of central Florida, including the Tampa Bay area, which is expected to be hit hard by the storm, the Times reported.

And while they work, he said, the community members they love and care for are top of mind.

"Your thoughts are always with the folks who are on the ground," he said. "There is that little extra level of concern when it's your friends."

Hurricane Ian made landfall as an "extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane" with sustained winds of 150 mph shortly after 3:00 p.m. local time near Cayo Costa, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned on Wednesday that "this is going to be one of those historic storms."

"It's going to really shape the communities in southwest Florida and have a profound impact on our state," he remarked as Ian approached. "We just ask people for their thoughts and their prayers."