Stunning Videos Capture The Raw Fury Of Hurricane Irma From Space

Ed Mazza

Hurricane Irma was upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane on Tuesday with winds of up to 185 mph, some of the strongest winds ever seen in an Atlantic storm.

Satellite footage shared by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows the raw power of the storm as it barrels toward the Caribbean and Florida:

Irma is expected to hit the Leeward Islands in the West Indies on Tuesday evening and into Wednesday morning, then may strike the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Category 5 is the most powerful storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, threatening “catastrophic damage.” The last hurricane to hit the United States while still a Category 5 storm was Andrew in 1992.

Also on HuffPost

In this panoramic view, empty shelves show the depleted supply of bottled water at the Whole Foods store in Winter Park, Florida, as residents prepare. 
In this panoramic view, empty shelves show the depleted supply of bottled water at the Whole Foods store in Winter Park, Florida, as residents prepare. 
Matt Scally takes the letters of the marquee at the Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami.
Matt Scally takes the letters of the marquee at the Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami.
The Marathon gas store at NW 27th Place and NW 119th Street has their windows boarded in Miami. 
The Marathon gas store at NW 27th Place and NW 119th Street has their windows boarded in Miami. 
Gus Sousa and Winston Mora (L-R) put hurricane shutters on a business as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami.
Gus Sousa and Winston Mora (L-R) put hurricane shutters on a business as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami.
A couple watch from the shore at heavy surf as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico.
A couple watch from the shore at heavy surf as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico.
A man with an umbrella walks on a sidewalk as Hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Luquillo, on September 6, 2017. Irma is expected to reach the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by nightfall on September 6. / AFP PHOTO / Ricardo ARDUENGO (Photo credit should read RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP/Getty Images)
A man with an umbrella walks on a sidewalk as Hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Luquillo, on September 6, 2017. Irma is expected to reach the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by nightfall on September 6. / AFP PHOTO / Ricardo ARDUENGO (Photo credit should read RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP/Getty Images)
Residents work together to fill sandbags for each other at Bobby Hicks Park as residents prepare ahead of Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. 
Residents work together to fill sandbags for each other at Bobby Hicks Park as residents prepare ahead of Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. 
Kelly Harrington places a sandbag in front of the door of her new home.
Kelly Harrington places a sandbag in front of the door of her new home.
Ed Fluker arranges the last remaining gas containers on otherwise empty shelves at The Home Depot in Lady Lake, Florida. 
Ed Fluker arranges the last remaining gas containers on otherwise empty shelves at The Home Depot in Lady Lake, Florida. 
A Home Depot store employee helps to load bags of sand for customers in the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami.
A Home Depot store employee helps to load bags of sand for customers in the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami.
Shoppers in a Home Depot store wait for plywood in the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami.
Shoppers in a Home Depot store wait for plywood in the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami.
Windows of a restaurant are boarded up as part of preparations for arrival of Hurricane Irma on in Simpson Bay, on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin.
Windows of a restaurant are boarded up as part of preparations for arrival of Hurricane Irma on in Simpson Bay, on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin.
A shopper in Sedano's Supermarket looks at nearly empty water shelves in the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami.
A shopper in Sedano's Supermarket looks at nearly empty water shelves in the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami.
Workers install storm shutters as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Fajardo.
Workers install storm shutters as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Fajardo.
A sand seawall is placed in front of the hotel KKO, as part of preparations for arrival of Hurricane Irma on the beach in Orient Bay, on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin. 
A sand seawall is placed in front of the hotel KKO, as part of preparations for arrival of Hurricane Irma on the beach in Orient Bay, on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin. 
A picutre taken on September 5, 2017 shows timber in a truck as people buy goods as part of preparations for arrival of Hurricane Irma in Marigot, on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin.
A picutre taken on September 5, 2017 shows timber in a truck as people buy goods as part of preparations for arrival of Hurricane Irma in Marigot, on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin.
People line up to get their propane tanks filled as they prepare for Hurricane Irma in Miami.
People line up to get their propane tanks filled as they prepare for Hurricane Irma in Miami.
Windows of a car dealer are protected by tape and sandbags, on September 4, 2017 in Marigot. 
Windows of a car dealer are protected by tape and sandbags, on September 4, 2017 in Marigot. 

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.