The International Space Station orbited over Hurricane Idalia Tuesday, showing the sprawling size of a storm expected to keep gaining strength as it churns through the Gulf of Mexico.

The space station passed over the hurricane at 11:25 a.m. EDT, with latest projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration saying that currently the storm remains about 515 kilometres south-southwest of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h.

Much of Florida is frantically preparing before the expected onslaught, with forecasts predicting the Category 1 storm could strengthen rapidly into a “dangerous major hurricane” before making landfall on the Gulf Coast.