Hurricane Irma Photos: Images of a Monster Storm

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Introduction

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard the NOAA/NASA Suomi NPP satellite captured this visible imagery of Hurricane Irma at 11:15 a.m. ET on Aug. 31, 2017.

(Image credit: NOAA/NASA)

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard the NOAA/NASA Suomi NPP satellite captured this visible imagery of Hurricane Irma at 11:15 am EDT on Aug. 31, 2017. Check out more photos of this monster storm.

Pummeling Florida Keys

NOAA's GOES-16 satellite captured this geocolor image of Irma's eye over the Florida Keys at approximately 9 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2017.

(Image credit: NOAA)

NOAA's GOES-16 satellite captured this geocolor image of Irma's eye over the Florida Keys at approximately 9 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2017. Irma made landfall on the Florida Keys Sunday morning as a Category 4 storm. This is the first year on record that two Category 4 (or higher) hurricanes have made landfall on the continental United States in a year, according to Phil Klotzbach, an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University.

Miami skyline

The Miami skyline can be seen as the outer bands of Hurricane Irma, as a Category 4 hurricane, start to reach Florida on Sept. 9, 2017.

(Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The Miami skyline can be seen as the outer bands of Hurricane Irma, as a Category 4 hurricane, start to reach Florida on Sept. 9, 2017. Irma has the Florida Keys and the west coast of the peninsula in its crosshairs, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm is expected to come ashore Sunday morning (Sept. 10).

Titanic trio

Here, hurricanes Katia, Irma and Jose swirl in the Atlantic on Sept. 8, 2017. The raging trio was captured by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite. The day-night band allowed the instrument to show both the city

(Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory)

Here, hurricanes Katia, Irma and Jose swirl in the Atlantic on Sept. 8, 2017. The raging trio was captured by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite. The day-night band allowed the instrument to show both the city lights as well as the swirling hurricanes.

Irma in infrared

The Suomi NPP satellite captured this infrared image on Sept. 8 at 2:39 a.m. ET, showing the now-Category 4 hurricane's well-defined eye. Convection can be seen around the eye, a telltale sign of an intense tropical storm.

(Image credit: NASA/NOAA/UWM-CIMSS, William Straka)

The Suomi NPP satellite captured this infrared image on Sept. 8 at 2:39 a.m. ET, showing the now-Category 4 hurricane's well-defined eye. Convection can be seen around the eye, a telltale sign of an intense tropical storm.

High waves

Storm surge and high waves lash a resort on the Dutch Island of St. Maarten, which suffered a direct hit from Hurricane Irma on Sept. 6.

(Image credit: Gerben Van Es/Planet Pix/Zuma)

Storm surge and high waves lash a resort on the Dutch Island of St. Maarten, which suffered a direct hit from Hurricane Irma on Sept. 6.

Waves of destruction

Hurricane Irma caused massive destruction on the Dutch island of St. Maarten. The storm made landfall in the Caribbean as a Category 5 hurricane, with 185-mph (298 km/h) winds.

(Image credit: Gerben Van Es/Planet Pix/Zuma)

Hurricane Irma caused massive destruction on the Dutch island of St. Maarten. The storm made landfall in the Caribbean as a Category 5 hurricane, with 185-mph (298 km/h) winds.

Extensive damage

Hurricane Irma caused massive destruction to a resort on the Dutch island of St. Maarten. The Category 5 storm made landfall in the Caribbean early in the morning on Sept. 6, packing winds of 185 mph (298 km/h).

(Image credit: Gerben Van Es/Planet Pix/Zuma)

Hurricane Irma caused massive destruction to a resort on the Dutch island of St. Maarten. The Category 5 storm made landfall in the Caribbean early in the morning on Sept. 6, packing winds of 185 mph (298 km/h).

Storm surge

Debris is seen during a storm surge near the Puerto Chico Harbor during the passing of Hurricane Irma on Sept. 6 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

(Image credit: Jose Jimenez/Getty)

Debris is seen during a storm surge near the Puerto Chico Harbor during the passing of Hurricane Irma on Sept. 6 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

Irma meets the Bahamas

Hurricane Irma barreled through the Bahamas on Friday, Sept. 8. The eye of the storm is expected to continue moving near the Central Bahamas at about 14 mph (22 km/h). Here, an image taken at 4:45 a.m. ET on Sept. 8 by NOAA's GOES East satellite.

(Image credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project)

Hurricane Irma barreled through the Bahamas on Friday, Sept. 8. The eye of the storm is expected to continue moving near the Central Bahamas at about 14 mph (22 km/h). Here, an image taken at 4:45 a.m. ET on Sept. 8 by NOAA's GOES East satellite.

In the line of duty

A lone police car on patrol during the passing of Hurricane Irma in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. The Category 5 storm skirted Puerto Rico on Sept. 6, packing winds of more than 180 mph (290 km/h).

(Image credit: Jose Jimenez/Getty)

A lone police car on patrol during the passing of Hurricane Irma in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. The Category 5 storm skirted Puerto Rico on Sept. 6, packing winds of more than 180 mph (290 km/h).

Live Science Staff
Live Science Staff
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