Image Credit: NASA

It’s big, powerful, and has caught the eyes of astronauts on the International Space Station.

The large and looming hurricane Irene was caught on camera yesterday from the ISS by astronaut Ron Garan. The image above shows the storm passing over the Caribbean.

In a recent announcement the National Hurricane Center has noted that Irene is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 5 to 10 inches across Puerto Rico, The Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Southeastern Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands.

Isolated maximum amounts of rainfall may reach up to 20 inches.

Imagery from space is helping to keep track of the trajectory of Irene, a menacing hurricane that, potentially, could impact the Eastern seaboard of the United States.

For a NOAA satellite video of Irene, go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRTflkSZ1kg

By Leonard David