The natural world. Looking pretty for 3.5b years.

Hurricane Patricia: Strongest in the Western Hemisphere History

Author: Hugh Bollinger/Friday, October 23, 2015/Categories: natural history, photography, space science, environment

The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Patricia is the strongest storm ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere with wind speeds exceeding 200mph. There isn't a category established on the Saffir-Simpson Scale above 5, the level set for hurricane winds of 156 mph. Patricia is a monster and expected to slam into the west coast of Mexico later today.

Hurricane Patricia, 10-23-15 (credit: TERRA satellite)

Patricia grew to such enormous dimensions by gathering moisture from warm oceans starting as a Category 1 tropical storm into its Category 5+ hurricane status in one day.