{ Viewing tropical storms and other natural disasters from space - Science Illustrated

Viewing tropical storms and other natural disasters from space

Australia receives an average of 13 cyclones a year, while the US might see up to 20. Every one of these destructive storms varies in their life cycles, intensity, movement, size and impacts such as winds, storm surges and flooding. It can be hard to see the differences between them from the ground, but when viewed from a high vantage point, such as the International Space Station, their unique characteristics are revealed. You will find more images on our Facebook page.

In the South Atlantic

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Tropical storm 90Q (March 2010) is the second known tropical cyclone to have formed in the cooler South Atlantic Ocean. The 3-D image shows some high thunderstorm tops near the centre of the storm reaching to heights above 12.5 km. Image: SSAI/NASA Goddard, Hal Pierce

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