Here’s What the Inside of Hurricane Irma’s Eye Looks Like

While Hurricane Irma barrels toward the United States, many in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas are preparing to evacuate — but one group has been flying directly inside the eye of the storm.

Hurricane Hunters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) use specialized planes to actually fly with hurricanes — in fact, that’s how scientists are able to get such specific measurements and information about hurricanes like Irma.

Earlier this week, Hurricane Hunters flew directly into the eye of Category 5 Hurricane Irma, documenting their journey along the way. See the photos taken from the eye of the storm in the Tweet from the NOAA Hurricane Hunters above.

“This is actually the strongest hurricane that I have ever seen in this part of the Atlantic,” Hurricane Hunter Richard Henning told Fox News. “It’s actually really rare for a storm to be this strong out in the Atlantic Ocean. Everyone in its path needs to pay close heed to the warnings.”

Citing “hurricane force winds extending out at least 50 miles” either direction from the center of the eye, which is “about 25 miles across”, Henning says that in all, Irma is about 125 miles wide.

Current projections have Irma sitting at around 450 miles southeast of Miami as of 8 a.m. EST on Friday. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for barrier islands, coastal communities, low-lying areas and mobile homes across Florida.

Forecasters expect Irma to pass the Florida Keys Saturday night and reach Miami by Sunday morning.

The threat to the Carolinas appears to have lessened, as Irma looks poised to turn inland after moving up the middle of Florida. A storm-surge warning was issued forthe Florida Keys and the Jupiter Inlet southward Friday morning by the National Weather Service.

“Obviously Hurricane Irma continues to be a threat that is going to devastate the United States,” Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long said at a press conference Friday morning, via ABC News. “We’re going to have a couple rough days.”

Photo Credit: NASA, Getty / Handout