In late August 2012, Tropical Storm Isaac hovered over the Caribbean Sea, projected to follow a path toward the northwest. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image around 1:40 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on August 23. In this natural-color image, coastlines and national borders are delineated in black.
At 2:00 p.m. EDT on August 23, shortly after MODIS took this picture, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Isaac had maximum sustained winds of 40 miles (65 kilometers) per hour. Although Isaac did not appear well organized on August 23, it showed signs of strengthening. By 8:00 a.m. EDT on August 24, Isaac’s wind speeds had increased to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour, and a hurricane watch was in effect for Haiti. On August 24, the NHC’s five-day forecast graphic showed a probable path for Isaac west of Florida in the direction of Alabama.
NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE MODIS Rapid Response Team, Goddard Space Flight Center. Caption by Michon Scott.
