INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION VIEW OF HURRICANE ISABEL, 2003-09-13 (photo)

Astronaut Ed Lu snapped this photo of the eye of Hurricane Isabel from the International Space Station on September 13, 2003. At the time, Isabel was located about 450 miles northeast of Puerto Rico. Thousands of people on North Carolina's fragile Outer Banks were urged to leave their homes on September 16 as powerful Hurricane Isabel headed for the U.S. East Coast, officials said. Isabel weakened slightly as it moved across the Atlantic Ocean, but still carried top winds of 115 mph (185 kph). Picture taken September 13. EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO COMMERCIAL SALES REUTERS/Ed Lu/NASA/Handout SV