This view taken from the International Space Station by Megan McArthur, NASA astronaut, shows Hurricane Ida crossing the Gulf of Mexico just before 12 p.m. CT (1700 GMT) Aug. 28, 2021.
As Hurricane Ida approaches Louisiana's coast today (Aug. 29,), it has grown into a strong Category 4 storm. Astronauts are keeping an eye on the situation from space.
Megan McArthur, a NASA astronaut, captured several photos of Hurricane Ida Saturday as it was still a Category-3 storm. Megan McArthur's photos show a huge storm moving across the Gulf of Mexico, as it bore down upon the southeastern coast of Louisiana. It is expected to land there later today.
McArthur tweeted "Hurricane Ida" from Space Station at noon CDT today, while sharing photos from orbit. "If you're/have been in its path I think of you and hope you stay safe."
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Image 1 of four Hurricane Ida crossing the Gulf of Mexico. This view was taken from the International Space Station by NASA astronaut Megan McArthur at just before 12 p.m. (1700 GMT) Aug. 28, 2021. (Image credit NASA/Megan McArthur). Image 2 of Hurricane Ida crosses Gulf of Mexico from this view taken by Megan McArthur, NASA astronaut, just before 12 p.m. CT (1700 GMT), Aug. 28, 2021. (Image credit NASA/Megan McArthur). Image 3 of 4 European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet captured this photo showing Hurriane Ida from the International Space Station. It shows the Category 4 storm approaching southeast Louisiana on August 29, 2021. (Image credit to ESA/Thomas Pesquet). Image 4 of 4 European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet captured this photo showing Hurriane Ida from the International Space Station. It shows the Category 4 storm approaching southeast Louisiana on August 29, 2021. (Image credit: ESA/Thomas Pesquet)
Thomas Pesquet, a French astronaut, was also awestruck at the power of the storm while he took photos from the station. The station is currently home seven astronauts, three Americans, two Russians, and one each from France, Japan, and France.
Pesquet tweeted, "The eye of Hurricane Ida," as he posted his photos to Twitter. It's alarming to see these weather phenomena growing stronger and more frequent from our vantage points. I hope that anyone who is in the path will be prepared and stay safe.
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This is an image no one wants to see via satellite. Ida, a Category 4-major hurricane with sustained winds of 145 mph, continues to approach southeastern Louisiana. This is a life-threatening situation that remains grave. Keep checking back for more updates. #lawx #mswx pic.twitter.com/SMs227S3CHAugust 29, 2021 See more
As the hurricane is expected to strike Louisiana 16 years after Hurricane Katrina's landfall, the astronauts send their best wishes to Ida. This was just 16 years after Hurricane Katrina struck the area with strong winds and heavy rains.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Ida is a similar threat. The center warned of a hurricane-force wind and a storm surge that could cause severe damage to Louisiana's coast.
At 5 a.m. ET, Hurricane Ida was approximately 50 miles (85 km) south of the mouth the Mississippi River, and 100 miles (170 km) southeast Houma, Louisiana. Maximum sustained winds were 150 mph (240 km/h).
Ida was the first major hurricane to strike the United States in 2021. It also struck the Gulf Coast this year. According to the New York Times, New Orleans issued an evacuation order to residents who live outside of its levee system. This was after Hurricane Katrina destroyed it.
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700 AM CDT Key Messages for #Ida: Extremely life-threatening storm surge and catastrophic wind damage are imminent where the core of #Ida moves onshore in the next few hours https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB pic.twitter.com/lILc6eoRxBAugust 29, 2021 See more
This photo was taken by Thomas Pesquet, a French astronaut for the European Space Agency. It shows Hurricane Ida from the International Space Station. The image shows the Category 4 storm approaching southeast Louisiana on August 29, 2021. (Image credit: ESA/Thomas Pesquet)
Satellites and emergency officials continue to monitor Ida's progress as it approaches landfall. President Joe Biden stated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA), and regularly update the White House about Ida's situation.
Biden tweeted Saturday that he was briefed by FEMA about the preparations for Hurricane Ida. To ensure we are ready for any emergency, we have prepared food, water, and generators and deployed emergency response personnel. Please pay attention if you find yourself in Idas' path.
Learn more about how you can prepare for possible hurricane conditions.
Tariq Malik can be reached at tmalik@space.com, or on Twitter @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom on Facebook and Instagram.
