WATCH: Inside the eye of Hurricane Matthew

As whole swaths of Florida’s Atlantic coast were instructed to get out of the path of Hurricane Matthew, the storm hunters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration did the exact opposite.

Captain Tim Gallagher and his crew flew directly into the storm off Florida’s coast, with footage released Friday showing just how violent the Category 3 hurricane was. The footage shows the crew navigating harsh turbulence and low visibility until the team reaches the eye of the hurricane.