On September 13, 1988 the pressure in Hurricane Gilbert was measured at 888 millibars, the lowest pressure on record in the Atlantic, Caribbean, & Gulf of Mexico. This NOAA photo is a visible image taken as Gilbert moved WNW south of Cuba at 2201 GMT. I've linked it to a larger image so you can appreciate the tightly wrapped eye and near perfect symmetry.
							click to enlarge
	This second image is courtesy of Dr. Jeffery Masters, flight director aboard a NOAA P3 taken about the time Gilbert reached its peak intensity. The view is from 10,000 feet and the waves are estimated at a whopping 50-100 feet. I took off a week from work just to track this once in a lifetime hurricane.
							click to enlarge