February 10, 2008 - Cyclone Hondo

Cyclone Hondo

Cyclone Hondo was a powerful Category 4 storm when the MODIS on the Aqua satellite captured this photo-like image on the afternoon of February 7, 2008. The storm’s power is evident in its symmetric shape and well-defined eye.

When MODIS took the image at 7:55 UTC, Hondo had winds of 220 kilometers per hour (140 miles per hour or 120 knots) with gusts to 270 km/hr (170 mph or 145 knots), said the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The storm was traveling southeast across the southern Indian Ocean, far from any populated region.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 02/07/2008
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory