Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean is usually a busy one. But a NASA satellite image captured a rare moment. Three hurricanes were practically aligned before impact with the United States and Mexico.
Hurricanes formed an almost perfect line
The photo was taken in 2017 and shows hurricanes Katia, Irma and Jose forming a near-perfect line. The phenomena were detected by the Suomi NPP weather satellite, which is co-managed by NASA and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). What’s interesting is that each of these storms was traveling in a different direction. Just one day after the image was taken, Hurricane Katia made landfall in Mexico. Less than 24 hours later, Irma made landfall in Florida. Meanwhile, Jose ended up dissipating off the coast of New England on September 22.
From left to right: Hurricanes Katia, Irma and Jose (Image: NASA Earth Observatory/Suomi NPP)
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Rising ocean temperatures influence the formation of phenomena
NASA scientists explain that most Atlantic hurricanes form in the same region: a stretch of water between northwest Africa and the Gulf of Mexico, nicknamed Hurricane Alley. However, it is quite rare to see the phenomena so close together.
Hurricane Irma was the most destructive of the three storms. It reached Category 5 status and caused waves up to 2.5 meters high, as well as heavy rain. In total, 34 people died as a result of the damage caused by the wind, which reached a maximum speed of 210 km/h.
Space view of a hurricane (Image: Triff/Shutterstock)
According to researchers, the three nearby hurricanes could also be the result of climate change. Rising ocean temperatures are making these phenomena more common and potentially destructive.
There is even a warning for this year’s hurricane season. Up to 25 storms are expected to be recorded. The first, Beryl, has already caused deaths and damage in the Caribbean. This was the earliest Category 5 hurricane to form in the Atlantic Ocean.
