Have you ever looked at any of the NASA images of Hurricanes and decided that you wish you could be one of them? How about when you realize that you could become a Hurricane? There are images from Hurricane Andrew to Hurricane Rita, which has caused much fear in the Virgin Islands and other parts of the Caribbean. This is not good news, as many people are afraid of these large ocean storms. But it is good news that the NASA space agency is working on better ways to protect us from these devastating storms in the future.
Hurricane Wilma was one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes to hit the Caribbean in over 100 years. It devastated portions of Mexico and South America, forcing the government to declare a state of emergency. Wilma has since lost her status as the strongest Atlantic hurricane but scientists are still studying her storm and trying to find out exactly what made her so devastating. Many scientists feel that there are many mysteries that need to be unraveled regarding tornadoes, strong winds, hail, and ice bedding.
Hurricane Rita was the fourth most powerful Atlantic hurricane to hit the United States in 2021. Although she may have been the weakest, she ranks near the top of the list for the most expensive hurricanes in history. The NASA space station captured the powerful eyewall of this massive tropical cyclone on video. You can see the full eyewall almost the size of the space station itself, as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico.
Hurricane Ivan created some strong winds and rain in the Caribbean. An interesting thing about this “ice bar” is that it has turned into a lake. NASA has images of this on the space station as well. Ivan made history by becoming the first hurricane to create an “ice bar” on Earth. The space station was put into orbit to study this phenomenon and to help weather researchers learn more about Mother Nature.
Aurora is another huge tropical cyclone that came off of the Caribbean. It formed with rapid intensification and advanced quickly over the Atlantic Ocean. Auroras are typically bright white or green, but this “aurora” had streaks of red in it which NASA observed. This space station also had some interesting color photos of this event.
Hurricane Wilma is currently the most powerful tropical cyclone to hit the United States in over 100 years. It has now claimed the lives of five people, the destruction of six homes, and the threat of a massive drought in the Eastern parts of the country. Wilma is the second most destructive of all tropical storms since records have been kept.
All three of these storms were exceptional flurries when they hit the United States, but they are not unique in their beauty. Every year there is an impressive array of natural cyclones which are all of the comparable strength and will pass near or on the surface of the Earth. This data was used in a recently produced movie called Space Station Grends which shows images from the space station that was launched in 2021.
Hurricane Emily was another eye-opener as to the destruction that can be caused by a powerful cyclone. It made an extremely violent approach to the island of Barbados and left a trail of destruction which still exists today. Hurricane Emily also formed a black wall of water, which extended from the center of Jamaica to just east of Punta Cana. The black wall of water is still visible today.
