Just in time for Halloween. A spooky satellite image of Hurricane Matthew resembled a human skull, which, naturally, sent the internet into a frenzy.
The infrared image (captured by NASA) was shared on Twitter by the Weather Channel's senior director of weather communications, Stu Ostro, as the devastating storm made landfall in Haiti Tuesday, October 4.
The post has since been retweeted more than 1,500 times, with many users freaking out over the devilish sight. "Good grief! Thats creepy!" one user wrote. Another added, "Looks like he was smiling for the photo shoot.. Creepy."
Sinister-looking face of #HurricaneMatthew at landfall in #Haiti [Un-doctored #weather #satellite image] pic.twitter.com/hrviDVuJ3R
— Stu Ostro (@StuOstro) October 4, 2016
NASA Earth Science Office's Paul Meyer, an atmospheric scientist, told CNN that the sinister picture looks like a skull because of the way the colors have been tweaked to focus on the eye of the hurricane. The skull's teeth are cold convective clouds, he told the news outlet Wednesday, October 5.
Hurricane Matthew is currently a category 3 storm and is bearing down on the Bahamas. A hurricane warning has been issued along the east coast of Florida, where evacuations are already under way.
"I cannot emphasize enough that everyone in our state must prepare now for a direct hit," Florida Governor Rick Scott said during a press conference Wednesday. "That means people have less than 24 hours to prepare, evacuate and shelter. Having a plan in place could mean the difference between life and death."
Hurricane Matthew, which has already killed 10 people in multiple countries in the Caribbean, is expected to strike in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina later this week.
