This image, taken from the International Space Station, emphasizes the sheer size and power of a hurricane, one of the largest examples of flow on Earth. Specifically, this image shows Hurricane Ida as it prepares to make landfall on the coast of Louisiana. Hurricanes get their shape from four main forces: the pressure gradient force, the Coriolis force, the centrifugal force, and friction. These forces result in a massive column of rotating fluid at nominal speeds of over 150 MPH, prepared to decimate anything in its path.

Photo credit: Thomas Pesquet

Source: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/hurricane-ida-makes-landfall-in-louisiana