Rare moment 3 tropical cyclones in Pacific captured from space

Data captured September 2, 2026 by the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) aboard NOAA's Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) spacecraft. (NASA Earth Observatory via SWNS) By Dean Murray A rare trio of tropical cyclones was spotted over the Pacific. Warmingin the Eastern Pacific Ocean caused by El Niño created conditions for storms to develop in this region. El Niño is a climate pattern in whichsea surface temperaturesin the tropical eastern and central Pacific rise above their long-term average, typically every two to seven years. Warmer seas provide more heat and moisture to the lower atmosphere, lowering air pressure and helpingthunderstormsorganize into rotating tropical cyclones. Artist impression of NOAA's Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) spacecraft. (NASA Earth Observatory via SWNS) Cyclones Lowell and Karina were predicted to reach Category 3 or 4 strength, while Marie was predicted to potentially approach Category 3 strength. Lowell reachedCategory 5strength on Sept. 2. Karina peaked as aCategory 4with 130 mph winds on Sept. 1. Marie never became a major hurricane. It topped out at 100 mph, a Category 2, before weakening. Lowell passed about 90 miles west of Lihue, Kauai, late Monday as a Category 2 hurricane with 110 mph sustained winds. Kauai County was under a hurricane warning and Oahu under a tropical storm warning. By 5 a.m. Tuesday the storm hadweakenedto 90 mph and was forecast to become a tropical storm later the same day, with flash flooding continuing across the islands. Data captured September 2, 2026 by the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) aboard NOAA's Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) spacecraft. (NASA Earth Observatory via SWNS) Karina and Marie stayed over open water and neither made landfall. Forecasters declared Karinapost-tropicalon Sunday and issued theirfinal advisoryon Marie on Tuesday morning. The last time there were three hurricanes simultaneously in the Eastern or Central Pacific was in 2015, withHurricanes Kilo, Ignacio and Jimenaspinning in the Pacific during another El Niño year. Category 3 and 4 hurricanes are classified as major storms, with sustained winds of at least 111 mph (178 kph) capable of causing damage, including extensive power outages andwidespread tree loss. Data captured September 2, 2026 by the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) aboard NOAA's Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) spacecraft. (NASA Earth Observatory via SWNS)By Talker Artist impression of NOAA's Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) spacecraft. (NASA Earth Observatory via SWNS)By Talker Data captured September 2, 2026 by the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) aboard NOAA's Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) spacecraft. (NASA Earth Observatory via SWNS)By Talker