American Astronaut Randy Bresnik has shared his incredible perspective of Hurricane Irma from the International Space Station (ISS) as it advances towards Florida. The station’s other astronauts have also shared pictures of the devastating hurricanes in the Caribbean.

While people fear the hurricane down here on Earth, the astronauts in the ISS see from the distance what the monsters in the Caribbean look like. According to the National Hurricane Center update (as of 8  a.m.), Hurricane Irma is a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h). NASA’s Kennedy Space Center informed it would be closed while the storms are nearby Florida.

American Astronaut Randy Bresnik has shared his incredible perspective of Hurricane Irma from the International Space Station. Image credit: Randy Bresnik
American Astronaut Randy Bresnik has shared his incredible perspective of Hurricane Irma from the International Space Station. Image credit: Randy Bresnik

“The tentacles of the bow wave of #Irma clawing its way up Florida,” Bresnik twitter Saturday (Sept. 9) accompanying a photo of Irma from space.

Irma advances towards Florida

Hurricane Irma has become one of the most dangerous natural phenomena right now. It crashed the Florida Keys on Sunday morning then it passed through Marco Island on the west coast of Florida this afternoon causing high wind gusts and floodings. Irma is believed to be one of the worst hurricanes in the history of the state. Today at 6 p.m. the hurricane was 20 miles south-southeast of Fort Myers. The storm is headed north at 14 mph toward Sarasota and Tampa, where winds of 75 to 100 mph are expected.

While all this occurs, this phenomenon is seen as a monstrosity from the space. Astronaut Bresnik who is in currently in charge of the ISS’s three-man Expedition 53 crew, is shocked to see Irma advancing towards the U.S territory. He has shared spectacular images of Irma – and also of Hurricane Jose as it passes through the Caribbean – from the space and hundreds have retweeted them. Bresnick is a retired colonel of the U.S. Marine Corps. He has also posted how the intense hurricane shook waters in the Caribbean Sea.

The threats of Hurricane Jose

Bresnik also alerted about the threats of Hurricane Jose, which is a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. Jose was passing through the north of Puerto Rico today.

“Unfortunately, a tale of two hurricanes …. First #Irma,” Bresnik twitter adding one photo of hurricanes Irma and Jose together.

ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy have also twitted images of the devastating hurricanes.

Hurricane Irma has caused the death of 25 people as it passed through the Caribbean. About 300,000 got the power cut this morning because of the storm. As well, the authorities have recommended people from Florida, and the coastal regions of Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina to evacuate the areas.

On the other hand, NASA decided to close Kennedy Space Center in Titusville in Florida because of the threats of the hurricanes. This is one of NASA’s primary launch site. It will close its doors from Sept. 8 to at least Sept. 11.

“The storm currently is expected to make its closest approach to the Kennedy/Cape Canaveral Air Force Station area during the weekend,” NASA said in a blog post. “Currently a Category 5 hurricane, Irma could potentially bring heavy rain and strong winds to the spaceport.”

Source: Space.com