To download the full resolution and other files go to: earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=7809...

On May 25, 2012, Hurricane Bud was a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 110 miles (175 kilometers) per hour. At 5:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on May 25, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Hurricane Bud was located roughly 105 miles (170 kilometers) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was headed toward Mexico’s southwestern coast.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this natural-color image around 11:15 a.m. PDT on May 24. Having organized since the previous day, Bud sported a distinct eye characteristic of strong storms.

At 5:00 a.m. PDT on May 25, the NHC forecast that Bud could reach the coast of Mexico later that day. The NHC reported a hurricane warning for the coast of Mexico from Manzanillo to Cabo Corrientes, and a tropical storm warning from Punta San Telmo to east of Manzanillo. The NHC warned that Bud could produce a dangerous storm surge and several inches of rain, and urged residents to prepare quickly to protect lives and property.

NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, Goddard Space Flight Center. Caption by Michon Scott.

View more from this event at earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/event.php?id=780...

The Earth Observatory's mission is to share with the public the images, stories, and discoveries about climate and the environment that emerge from NASA research, including its satellite missions, in-the-field research, and climate models.

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