VIDEO: Look inside a hurricane hunter aircraft

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- If you've ever wondered how we learn about severe storms such as hurricanes, it takes a special team of pilots and planes to collect the data.

One of five visits on the East Coast, The Hurricane Awareness Tour touched down in Atlantic City on Monday.

The classroom was moved outside for more than 300 elementary students. The lesson: hurricane safety.

From the outside the planes looked like your standard G4 jet or Air Force reserve plane. But inside these aircrafts are decked out with the latest technology.

Weather scientists inside the plane collect data about a storm.

Dr. Rick Knabb from the National Hurricane Center says, it's all in an effort to keep the public safe.

Dr. Knabb explains, "One aircraft goes into the hurricane and we have one aircraft that quickly flies around the hurricane. But both of them are to make us in a position to make more accurate forecasts and warnings."

Tropical storms are all too familiar in our region.

In 2012, the New Jersey coastline was battered by Hurricane Sandy. Massive storm surge and inland flooding from the storm caused destructive damage. And even three years later, the cleanup continues.

"Water is such a dangerous part of a hurricane, as Sandy showed," Knabb said.

But there are efforts this year to improve awareness about storm surge.

New this year, a watches and warnings map has been added to help pinpoint the area of life threatening storm surge. It's the first step in a three year plan.

The hurricane season starts June 1st and last through November 30th, but forecasters say it's all about preparing now for the future.

Knabb says, "There is a big, big difference between how busy the season might be overall, and how bad it could be locally where you live. It just takes one bad tropical storm or hurricane to make it a bad year for you."