Hurricane Matthew: Satellite images show ‘monstrous’ storm bound for US (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
Hurricane Matthew is continuing to roar its way along the Caribbean coast towards the US with satellite photos revealing just how intimidating the powerful storm looks from space.
NASA has been sharing satellite images and timelapse videos taken from the International Space Station (ISS) as Hurricane Matthew hurtled through Haiti and Cuba, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.
READ MORE:Hurricane Matthew hits Cuba hours after slamming Haiti (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
Hurricane Matthew Hits Haiti https://t.co/HrF5VY85zT#NASApic.twitter.com/VQnymeiRBj
— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) October 4, 2016
Station cameras captured new views of Hurricane Matthew today as the Category 3 storm moved to the north of Cuba. https://t.co/o31A3KRf0Apic.twitter.com/LZCruVhixe
— Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) October 5, 2016
Florida is now bracing itself for a ‘direct hit’ from the deadly category 3 storm which is expected to strengthen to category 4 as it approaches the southern part of the state.
It’s also expected to pass close to or over NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, near Melbourne Beach which, ironically, is home to America's next-generation weather satellite - the GOES-R.
Watch Hurricane Matthew live on @NASA TV today when the station flies over the storm at 3:24pm ET and again at 5pm: https://t.co/qpyi2M3CpVpic.twitter.com/Xa8lbZXruq
— Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) October 4, 2016
#Matthew continues it's run at history tonight as it continues to reorganize its inner core. A very dangerous path towards seems inevitable pic.twitter.com/zlaDxLdUsl
— Jim Cantore (@JimCantore) October 6, 2016
The $1.2 billion satellite - which is penned for weather monitoring and forecasting - is being held in a facility which can withstand up to category 4 hurricanes. GOES-R is due to be launched into space on November 4.
At Astrotech in Titusville, teams building tent over NOAA's GOES-R satellite as extra protection against approaching #hurricaneMatthew. pic.twitter.com/pJTtX8m1Ix
— James Dean (@flatoday_jdean) October 4, 2016
Ironically, the next-gen GOES-R weather satellite is sitting in Titusville, FL, in the path of #Matthew, waiting to be launched in Nov. https://t.co/WTp7vrcunp
— Ryan Hoke (@RyanHokeWAVE3) October 5, 2016
Almost 2 million evacuations have been ordered along the coasts of Florida, Georgia and South and North Carolina, according to ABC News. States of emergency have been declared in the four states.
BREAKING: #Hurricane warnings extended N to St. Simons Isl., GA. Hurricane watch extended to north of #Charleston, SC. #Matthewpic.twitter.com/IxtfEBEJgg
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) October 6, 2016
2am Advisory: #HurricaneMatthew 295 miles from West Palm Beach, to intensify overnight into Thursday to a Cat 4 https://t.co/dFIAisCcsGpic.twitter.com/GZekHyzNWN
— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) October 6, 2016
350 AM Eye of Hurricane #Matthew now present on Miami radar. Outer rain bands approaching the East Coast and will arrive around 6AM. #flwxpic.twitter.com/vAtNkNxlDR
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) October 6, 2016
NASA’s latest video captured views of the menacing force on October 5 as it moved towards the Bahamas.
‘Direct hit’: #HurricaneMatthew sends Florida into panic as ‘massive destruction’ expected https://t.co/U31riNDCHD
— RT (@RT_com) October 6, 2016
At least 102 people have been killed as a result of the hurricane – described as the worst Caribbean storm in nearly a decade. 98 of these deaths happened in Haiti, according to Reuters.
The deadly storm has also become something of an internet sensation for its terrifying, apparently Halloween-themed appearance, as captured by a satellite image. A ghoulish picture resembling a human skull was shared by Weather Channel meteorologist Stu Ostro.
Sinister-looking face of #HurricaneMatthew at landfall in #Haiti [Un-doctored #weather#satellite image] pic.twitter.com/hrviDVuJ3R
— Stu Ostro (@StuOstro) October 4, 2016
Can you see it? This spooky satellite image of Hurricane Matthew looking like a smiling skull lit up the Internet https://t.co/OLCpUMsZI8pic.twitter.com/WgdXSyXrG7
— CNN (@CNN) October 6, 2016
#HurricaneMatthew be looking like pic.twitter.com/fUVGrisLvi
— Shigeru Miyamoto (@RealShigeruM) October 5, 2016