NOAA satellites have witnessed some pretty extreme events, from massive wildfires and explosive volcanic eruptions to a 515-mile-long lightning flash. Along the way, the satellites have also tracked many record-breaking hurricanes, using a variety of instruments and data products to provide a comprehensive picture of these storms. NOAA satellites provide early warning that a storm is forming, monitor and track the movement of storms, and estimate storm intensity. They also aid emergency response to flooding from landfalling tropical systems. From measuring the most intense to the fastest developing hurricanes, NOAA satellites have provided critical information for forecasters to understand and predict these powerful storms and help communities prepare for their impact.
Most Intense Hurricane in the Western Hemisphere: Patricia (2015)
In October 2015, Hurricane Patricia became the most intense hurricane on record in the Western Hemisphere, breaking records for both maximum sustained winds and central pressure. On Oct. 20, a tropical depression formed in the eastern Pacific that became Tropical Storm Patricia later that day. Patricia strengthened into a hurricane on Oct. 21.
After a period of rapid intensification on Oct. 22, Patricia achieved Category 5 strength (maximum sustained winds of 157 mph or higher) on Oct. 23, and further intensified that day until it reached maximum sustained winds of 215 mph. Patricia’s lowest central pressure during maximum intensity was 872 millibars. Pressure is another way to measure the strength of a hurricane. Typically, the lower the pressure, the stronger the hurricane.
NOAA’s GOES-13 and GOES-15 satellites provided important information about Hurricane Patricia’s winds throughout the lifespan of the storm. Scientists use sequences of geostationary satellite images to track cloud features and water vapor. This information helps them estimate atmospheric motion and provide important information about winds at different levels in the atmosphere.
GOES satellite-derived winds for Hurricane Patricia at 18:00 UTC on Oct. 23, 2015. Credit: NOAA
Fastest Atlantic Storm to Intensify from a Tropical Depression to a Category 5 Hurricane: Milton (2024)
On Oct. 7, 2024, Hurricane Milton achieved Category 5 status, less than 49 hours after becoming a tropical depression. From 15:00 UTC on Oct. 5 to 15:55 UTC on Oct. 7, Milton strengthened from 35 mph to 160 mph — the fastest intensification from a tropical depression to a Category 5 hurricane on record. Milton made landfall near Siesta Key on the west coast of Florida on Oct. 9, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the state's Big Bend region.
NOAA’s GOES-16 satellite measured an extraordinary amount of lightning flashes within Hurricane Milton’s eye wall as it intensified on Oct. 7. The satellite’s Geostationary Lightning Mapper is the first instrument of its kind flown in geostationary orbit. GLM aids hurricane analysis and forecasting by clearly conveying convective patterns below the cloud tops. This information helps forecasters assess the structure and evolution of tropical storms. Rapid increases in lightning activity can indicate a hurricane is strengthening.
Costliest U.S. Hurricane: Katrina (2005)
Hurricane Katrina struck coastal Louisiana and Mississippi on Aug. 29, 2005, causing massive destruction with significant loss of life. Breaks in the levees that separate New Orleans from Lake Pontchartrain caused catastrophic flooding. At least 80% of New Orleans was under water on Aug. 31. More than 200,000 homes were destroyed or left uninhabitable. The storm surge reached 25-28ft above normal tide levels along the Mississippi coast and 10-20 feet above normal tide levels along the south-east Louisiana coast. Katrina remains the costliest hurricane in U.S. history with $201.3 billion in damages when adjusted for inflation to 2024 US dollars. Katrina was also one of the deadliest hurricanes on record with 1,392 deaths attributed to the hurricane.
During Hurricane Katrina, the NOAA-15 satellite measured atmospheric temperature and moisture, even through clouds and precipitation, with its Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU). The AMSU instrument directly fed into NOAA’s numerical weather prediction models, advancing three-to-five-day forecasts.
This animation shows Hurricane Katrina’s vertical temperature profile and warm core captured by NOAA 15’s AMSU instrument on Aug. 28, 2005. Credit: NOAA
Deadliest U.S. Hurricane in the Satellite Era: Maria (2017)
The deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. in the satellite era was Hurricane Maria in September 2017. At peak intensity, Maria was a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph. When it came ashore in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, Maria devastated the island as a strong Category 4 hurricane with 155 mph winds.
After initial reporting that 64 people were killed, a 2018 study, commissioned by the governor of Puerto Rico and conducted by researchers at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health, determined the actual death toll to be 2,975. Only the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900 resulted in more fatalities, when at least 8,000 perished.
As Hurricane Maria approached Puerto Rico, it knocked out the radar on the island, just before landfall. With this critical technology disabled and a major hurricane approaching, forecasters relied on 30-second data from NOAA’s GOES-16 satellite to track the storm in real time. The satellite’s rapid scanning rate allowed forecasters to analyze cloud patterns and pinpoint Maria’s position and movement. In the absence of traditional radar, high-resolution satellite imagery provided the sole information forecasters had to track the storm.
Hurricane Maria left millions of people without power. The NOAA/NASA Suomi-NPP satellite tracked the power outages with the day/night band on its Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite instrument. Power was not fully restored to the island until nearly a year after Maria hit.
GOES-16 captured this infrared imagery of Hurricane Maria over Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017. The dark red color, like that near the eyewall of the storm, corresponds to areas of great intensity. Credit: NOAA/CIRA
Most Rainfall from a Hurricane in U.S. History: Harvey (2017)
On Aug. 25, 2017, Category 4 Hurricane Harvey struck Rockport, Texas, as the first hurricane to hit the Texas Coast since Celia in 1970. The storm stalled over southeast Texas, causing catastrophic flooding.Harvey was the most significant tropical-cyclone rainfall event ever recorded in U.S. history, both in scope and peak rainfall amounts. The highest storm total rainfall report from Harvey was 60.58 inches.
The GOES-16 and NOAA/NASA Suomi-NPP satellites monitored the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. Images from the two satellites were merged to create detailed and comprehensive flood zone maps, which were critical for response efforts. FEMA and local officials used the flood maps, which were experimental at the time, to help determine where to employ resources during the deluge. The maps also provided insight into where water was receding to help decision-makers determine, in combination with other critical resources, when it was safe for people to return to their homes.
NOAA flood map highlighting the large areas of land flooded by Hurricane Harvey on Aug. 31, 2017. Credit: NOAA
Only Satellite-era Atlantic Hurricane in January: Alex (2016)
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins in June, but in early January 2016, an extratropical cyclone formed near the Bahamas that soon transitioned into a subtropical storm named Alex. As Alex headed north and east, it reached hurricane strength south of the Azores on Jan. 14, and became the first January hurricane in the satellite era. The only other Atlantic hurricane on record in January occurred in 1938. At peak strength, Alex had 85 mph sustained winds. Alex was also only the second hurricane on record to form north of 30ºN latitude and east of 30ºW longitude.
Alex’s transition from an extratropical storm to a hurricane occurred while ocean temperatures were not even 70°F. This is well below the ~80°F typically needed for tropical storm development during the summer. Alex was able to develop into a hurricane due to colder-than-average temperatures in the upper atmosphere, which compensated for the cool ocean temperatures.
The NOAA/NASA Suomi-NPP satellite captured detailed infrared imagery of Alex’s eye on Jan. 14, 2016.
Suomi-NPP infrared imagery of Hurricane Alex on Jan. 14, 2016. Credit: NOAA/CIMSS
The Only Known Hurricane in the South Atlantic: Catarina (2004)
Only one known hurricane has ever been recorded in the South Atlantic. Hurricane Catarina made landfall over the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil, as a Category 2 hurricane on March 28, 2004. Typically, hurricanes do not form in this region due to unfavorable conditions, such as a lack of tropical waves, high wind shear and cool ocean temperatures.
Due to the scarcity of hurricanes in the South Atlantic, there are no official name lists for them. The unofficial name “Catarina” was adopted from the province where the storm came ashore. NOAA’s GOES-12 satellite captured visible and infrared imagery of Catarina just before it struck Brazil.
GOES-12 combined visible and infrared loop of Hurricane Catarina on March 27, 2004. Credit: NOAA
Most Active Atlantic Hurricane Season On Record: 2020
2020 was the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record with 30 named storms and 14 total hurricanes, of which 7 were major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). The list of hurricane names was exhausted in September with the formation of Tropical Storm Wilfred. For only the second time in history, the Greek alphabet was used for the remainder of the season, extending through the 9th name in the list, Iota.
Two major hurricanes, Eta and Iota, formed in November, marking the first time two major hurricanes formed in one month. Iota became the strongest storm to occur late in the hurricane season when it attained Category 5 status on Nov. 16, 2020.
NOAA-20 satellite image of Hurricane Iota captured on Nov. 15, 2020. Credit: NOAA
In 2020, for the first time, GOES satellite wind data were fed into NOAA's Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) computer model used to forecast the track and intensity of tropical cyclones. Also new to the forecast model were data from the COSMIC-2, NOAA-20, and NOAA/NASA Suomi-NPP satellites. An evaluation of adding these new data sets to the HWRF model showed significant improvements in both track and intensity forecasts.