Astronaut captures view of Hurricane Milton from space

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, currently aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavor, posted the video on Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter, showing a rare glimpse of the storm that only an astronaut could catch in person. Dominick has posted similarly stunning shots of auroras and comets in recent days, but this latest shot is unique given the devastation Milton could wreak in the coming days.

As a Category 4 hurricane approaches Florida on Wednesday evening, authorities have issued a strong warning to Floridians, urging them to evacuate the area before it is too late. Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert warned earlier Tuesday that the hurricane was “not survivable.” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor warned Monday night: “If you choose to stay in one of these evacuation areas, you will die.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a warning Tuesday morning that “time is running out” for evacuation. “But you have time today to follow all evacuation orders and do what you need to do to protect yourself and our families,” he said.

Milton’s landfall will come about two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated much of the southeastern United States. Towns like Ashville, North Carolina, were heavily damaged and residents lost power and telephones. More than 200 people are confirmed dead. Following the destruction, several artists, including Ben Folds, Luke Combs, Eric Church and Sturgill Simpson, confirmed they would be playing benefit shows to raise money for relief efforts.