A view of Hurricane Matthew from space

A hurricane is essentially the same as a cyclone or a typhoon, being called different names only in different regions. In the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, the term “hurricane” is used. The same type of disturbance in the Northwest Pacific is called a “typhoon” and “cyclones” occur in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, as per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) of the US. The hurricane takes up the entire vision of the camera, appearing as a swirling work of art. The sheer scale and the majesty of the hurricane belie its tremendous power for devastation.

Cameras outside the space station captured dramatic views of major Hurricane Matthew as the orbital complex flew 250 miles above (speed x4). pic.twitter.com/nfAQuw2OQC

— Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) October 3, 2016

Hurricane Matthew is the most powerful hurricane in recent years, topping out at 230km per hour. While it was sheer serendipity that the ISS captured the footage, a group of hurricane hunters who fly precariously near hurricanes also captured a magnificent shot of the north-western quadrant of the storm.

Heading out of the eye into the NW quadrant of Category 4 Hurricane #Matthew at 10,000 ft during today's recon flight. ?: ARWO Maj Spusta ? pic.twitter.com/iHY8KPqUPn— Hurricane Hunters (@53d_HHA) October 3, 2016

Hurricane hunter aircrafts fly through turbulence risking death to keep a tab on the intensity and the direction of the storm.

This picture was taken onboard WP-3D Orion #NOAA43 right before entering the eye of CAT4 #HurricaneMatthew. Credit: CAPT Tim Gallagher/#NOAA pic.twitter.com/OCIFdcHzo8

— NOAAHurricaneHunters (@NOAA_HurrHunter) October 2, 2016

The hurricane hunters rode through the turbulence and entered the eye of the storm – which is usually mistaken to be rather calm – that has marginally weaker winds compared to the periphery of the storm.

Photo from #NOAA43 inside the eye of Cat 4 #HurricaneMatthew. Credit: Jessica Williams/NOAA pic.twitter.com/Sa2u2Tv050— NOAAHurricaneHunters (@NOAA_HurrHunter) October 1, 2016

Inside the eye of the storm

[iframe id="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VPy9aGCCv8U"] Hurricane Matthew is the most powerful hurricane in the region since Felix in 2007 The National Hurricane Center in the US has labelled it a Category 4 storm on the Sapphir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. A Category 4 storm is capable of inflicting catastrophic damage including severe damage to well-built homes and uproots trees. They also cause major infrastructural damage and often render areas uninhabitable for lengthy periods of time.