WATCH: Terrifying footage shows Hurricane Irma destroying a beach in St. Martin

As Hurricane Irma barrels toward the United States, footage of the storm taken from a beach in the tiny island of St. Martin shows the storm's terrifying potential for destruction.

The footage was posted on social media by Keraunos, a French observatory that specializes in monitoring extreme weather. It shows sustained winds of over 180 miles per hour blowing over trees and severely limiting visibility beyond a few feet.

The storm is headed north through the Caribbean Islands and could hit the continental United States early next week.

Watch footage of the the hurricane below.