At 1:35 p.m. local time (20:25 Universal Time ), on June 3, 2015, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this natural-color image of Hurricane Blanca off the coast of Mexico. The storm is the earliest second hurricane on record for the eastern Pacific Ocean. After intensifying rapidly, Blanca then weakened while passing over an area of upwelling. Forecasters expect the storm to strengthen as it moves north in the coming days.

1. Further Reading

2. NASA Earth Observatory (2013, March 5) In a Warming World, Storms May Be Fewer but Stronger.

NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response. Caption by Adam Voiland.