Top hurricane sat photos of all time...

[kevin]

IR imagery of hurricane Melissa at 02:55z, October 28 2025. With a CI# and final T# of 8.5 and a raw T# of 8.6 (by UW-CIMSS Automated Satellite-Based Advanced Dvorak Technique), this is quite possibly the most impressive IR image of a tropical cyclone ever captured in the Atlantic.

[sasha_B]

IR imagery of hurricane Melissa at 02:55z, October 28 2025. With a CI# and final T# of 8.5 and a raw T# of 8.6 (by UW-CIMSS Automated Satellite-Based Advanced Dvorak Technique), this is quite possibly the most impressive IR image of a tropical cyclone ever captured in the Atlantic.

https://i.imgur.com/geRujY8.jpeg

I may try to track down versions of this frame with other color maps / zooms / GOES bands at some point. Though recon data indicate that Melissa had not yet reached her peak at the time, and it's well past local sunset so there's no VIS imagery, it's an absolutely historic hurricane satellite photo; no storm globally had attained such numbers from ADT before (at least not the raw T8.6; I know Haiyan made CI 8.5).. Just as worth preserving in this thread as the various photos/loops of Melissa's landfall that have already been added, IMO.

[Category5Kaiju]

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Peak season's quite tame
But October won't be the same

[Hurricane2022]

Major Hurricane 13L (Melissa) - 2025.










Source: Wikimedia Commons.

[Hurricane2022]

 https://x.com/CIRA_CSU/status/1991920729047376225

[Hurricane2000]

Hurricane Patricia 2015 in RGB

[WaveBreaking]

Hurricane Humberto (rendered this myself using mcidas v)

[Category5Kaiju]

 https://x.com/CIRA_CSU/status/1991920729047376225

Worth noting that Idalia, Lee, and Humberto aren't depicted at their peak intensity because if so, they would be completely covered by Helene/Ian, Teddy, and Fiona respectively.

Also worth noting that I do believe that if 2019 was added, peak Dorian and peak Lorenzo would fit perfectly into the image.

Edit: just realized that Humberto is actually depicted after its peak intensity; I feel like its peak could've been, theoretically, depicted without really getting in Erin or Lee's way considering this happened just north of where Erin achieved its peak.

[Hurricane2000]

Likely twin C5s Rick and Sandra in 1985, Sandra could be one of the strongest storms in the Eastern Pacific (unofficially)

[Teban54]

Twin C5s Rick and Sandra in 1985, Sandra could be one of the strongest storms in the Eastern Pacific
https://mcfetch.ssec.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/mcfetch?dkey=1oqccftd-vrr3-dcdc-yr4s-icv9gxvibmq8&satellite=GOES6&band=8&output=JPG&date=1985-09-09&time=00:00&lat=18.16+117.09&size=1024+1024&mag=-1+-2

I thought that current official records (HURDAT) list Rick as Cat 4 and Sandra as Cat 3? While I agree that Sandra's visual appearance at peak looks a lot stronger than Cat 3, this is unofficial and probably should be clarified.

[Hurricane2000]

Twin C5s Rick and Sandra in 1985, Sandra could be one of the strongest storms in the Eastern Pacific
https://mcfetch.ssec.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/mcfetch?dkey=1oqccftd-vrr3-dcdc-yr4s-icv9gxvibmq8&satellite=GOES6&band=8&output=JPG&date=1985-09-09&time=00:00&lat=18.16+117.09&size=1024+1024&mag=-1+-2

I thought that current official records (HURDAT) list Rick as Cat 4 and Sandra as Cat 3? While I agree that Sandra's visual appearance at peak looks a lot stronger than Cat 3, this is unofficial and probably should be clarified.

I said could be, as in unofficially, both of these storms are clearly underestimated

[gib]

Twin C5s Rick and Sandra in 1985, Sandra could be one of the strongest storms in the Eastern Pacific
https://mcfetch.ssec.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/mcfetch?dkey=1oqccftd-vrr3-dcdc-yr4s-icv9gxvibmq8&satellite=GOES6&band=8&output=JPG&date=1985-09-09&time=00:00&lat=18.16+117.09&size=1024+1024&mag=-1+-2

I thought that current official records (HURDAT) list Rick as Cat 4 and Sandra as Cat 3? While I agree that Sandra's visual appearance at peak looks a lot stronger than Cat 3, this is unofficial and probably should be clarified.

I said could be, as in unofficially, both of these storms are clearly underestimated

With all due respect, that's not what you said. You unequivocally called Rick and Sandra "twin C5s". You only said could be about Sandra's status as "one of the strongest storms in the Eastern Pacific".

As constructed, anyone reading that post would think Rick and Sandra were officially cat 5 hurricanes with the only uncertainty being Sandra's status as an upper-echelon EPAC system. I think Teban's point is fair and valid.

[Hurricane2000]

Ok, yeah, I should have clarified that both storms being C5s is part of my unofficial analysis, my apologies

[Hurricane2022]

Likely twin C5s Rick and Sandra in 1985, Sandra could be one of the strongest storms in the Eastern Pacific (unofficially)
https://mcfetch.ssec.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/mcfetch?dkey=1oqccftd-vrr3-dcdc-yr4s-icv9gxvibmq8&satellite=GOES6&band=8&output=JPG&date=1985-09-09&time=00:00&lat=18.16+117.09&size=1024+1024&mag=-1+-2

 https://x.com/i/status/2003109264932639127


 https://x.com/i/status/2002440127898083616

[Hurricane2000]

I was able to decode and plot the GOES-6 data for Hurricane Sandra 1985, so here's the Band 8 IR in the OTT enhancement and classic BD (Dvorak) enhancement! Edit: Sadly there was no Band 1 (Visible) available.

[Hurricane2022]

 https://x.com/i/status/1983066064541077587

[Ulf]

The small Intense Tropical Cyclone Grant