NASA specialists have released images taken from the satellite SMAP (NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite). And now they are perplexed: the wind speed in Hurricane Harvey increased inexplicably.
The movement of air masses was monitored by a radiometer on board the satellite. On August 24, he recorded a wind speed of 25 meters per second, and just 2 days later - already 47.8 meters per second.
Orbital images showing increasing wind speed.
In the images, places where the wind blows at a higher speed are marked with shades of yellow and red. The reason for its sharp - almost twice - its increase is still inexplicable. But most likely, it is in it that the clue of why the hurricane gained unprecedented power lies. And maybe, and why they - tropical hurricanes - are getting stronger and more destructive from year to year.
A view of Hurricane Harvey from the International Space Station (ISS).
Now Harvey floods the United States with heavy rains, in many places - floods.
View of Hurricane Harvey from the ISS:
VLADIMIR LAGOVSKY
Promotional video: