NASA Aqua MODIS Tracking Super Typhoon Vongfong

Super Typhoon Vongfong pictured from the ISS by NASA Astronaut Reid Wiseman.

The MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured this visible image of Super Typhoon Vongfong on Oct. 9 at 04:25 UTC (12:25 a.m. EDT as it moved north through the Philippine Sea. 

Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Super Typhoon Vongfong as it tracked through the Philippine Sea on Oct. 9.

The MODIS instrument aboard Aqua captured visible and infrared images of the now Category 4 Super Typhoon.

Two instruments aboard NASA's Aqua satellite provided visible and infrared data on the Super Typhoon: The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument, respectively.

MODIS captured a visible image of Super Typhoon Vongfong on Oct. 9 at 04:25 UTC (12:25 a.m. EDT) that showed two concentric eyewalls with the inner eye diameter at 26 nautical miles.

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center noted that the eye remains symmetrical with sharp outlines - typical of very intense cyclones.

The AIRS data showed the overall cloud top temperatures had warmed a little since yesterday, Oct. 8, indicating that the uplift in the storm may be weakening.

AIRS also showed a thick band of powerful thunderstorms surrounded Vongfong's eye.

Vongfong weakened to a Category 4 typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson scale on Thursday, October 9, with maximum sustained winds near 130 knots (149.6 mph/240.8 kph), down from a Category 5 typhoon on Oct. 8.

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center predict slow weakening over the next several days.

A colorised satellite photo shows Super Typhoon Vongfong spinning in the western Pacific Ocean.

Credit Photo: NASA /NOAA /CIRA /RAMMB

Vongfong was centered near 20.6 north and 129.5 east, about 384 nautical miles south-southeast of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan.

It is moving to the north-northwest at 7 knots (8 mph/12.9 kph) and generating 44 foot (13.4 meter) high seas. For warnings and watches, visit the Japan Meteorological Agency website.

Vongfong is forecast to continue moving north through the Philippine Sea and is expected to pass just to the east of Kadena Air Base, then track over Amami Oshima before making landfall in Kyushu and moving over the other three big islands of Japan.

Residents of all of these islands should prepare for typhoon conditions beginning on October 10.

The AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Super Typhoon Vongfong and showed powerful thunderstorms (purple) circled the center in a wide band on Oct. 9, 2014. 

Credit: NASA JPL, Ed Olsen

NASA TRMM: Tropical Storm Kammuri's spiral bands of soaking thunderstorms

NASA TRMM satellite flew over the northern half of Tropical Storm Kammuri on Sept. 26 at 1:44 a.m. EDT and saw a strong band of thunderstorms dropping rainfall over 1.2 inches per hour (red). 

Credit: NRL /NASA /JAXA

Tropical Storm Kammuri continues to strengthen on its north-northwestern track through the Northwestern Pacific Ocean and NASA TRMM satellite identified a band of thunderstorms containing heavy rainfall northwest of the storm's center.

Meanwhile NASA's Aqua satellite got a look at the entire storm and saw that those bands of storms circled the entire storm.

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew over the northern half of Tropical Storm Kammuri on Sept. 26 at 1:44 a.m. EDT and the Precipitation Radar instrument saw a strong band of thunderstorms dropping rainfall over 1.2 inches (30.4 mm) per hour.

The TRMM satellite is managed by both NASA and JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Tropical Storm Kammuri on Sept. 26 at 03:11 UTC (Sept. 25 at 11:11 p.m. EDT) and saw strong bands of towering thunderstorms with cold cloud temperatures around the entire storm.

Cloud top temperatures exceeded -63F/-53C indicating they extended high into the troposphere and had the potential to generate heavy rainfall, such as what the TRMM satellite observed.

Animated enhanced infrared satellite imagery also showed that the low-level circulation center is consolidating as the bands of thunderstorms spiraled into the rounded center.

On Sept. 26 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT), Tropical Storm Kammuri had maximum sustained winds near 55 knots (63 mph/102 kph). It was centered near 23.5 north latitude and 145.3 east longitude, about 252 nautical miles (290 miles/466.7 km) east-southeast of the island of Iwo To, Japan.

Kammuri is moving to the north-northwest at 10 knots (11.5 mph/18.5 kph).

Kammuri is still forecast to intensify as it moves in a north-northwesterly direction through warm sea surface temperatures, toward the island of Iwo To.

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center expect Kammuri to be typhoon strength as it passes east of the island of Iwo To on Sept. 27 and begin weakening on Sept. 29 while curving to the northeast staying from the big island of Japan.


The AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Tropical Storm Kammuri on Sept. 26 at 03:11 UTC and saw strong bands of towering thunderstorms with cold cloud temperatures (purple) around the entire storm. 

Credit: Image Credit: NASA JPL, Ed Olsen

NASA Earth Observation GOES: Hurricane Iselle threatens Hawaii

Hurricane Iselle is pictured in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on August 3, 2014

Hurricane Iselle picked up strength in the open Pacific on Monday as the powerful storm barrelled toward Hawaii, US forecasters said.

The NOAA Miami-based National Hurricane Centre upgraded Iselle, now some 1,245 miles (2,005 kilometers) east of Hilo, Hawaii, to a Category Four storm on the five-level Saffir-Simpson scale.

Earlier Monday, it had been listed as a Category Three storm.

NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured this image of a very active Eastern and Central Pacific, hosting three tropical cyclones (from left to right) Genevieve, Iselle and Julio.

Image Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project

NASA and NOAA satellites have been supplying forecasters with data developing tropical cyclones in the Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean and over the last several days. There have been as many as five tropical systems at the same time.

On Monday, August 4, there were three tropical systems stretching from west to east: Tropical Depression Genevieve in the Central Pacific, Hurricane Iselle and Tropical Storm Julio in the Eastern Pacific.

This false-colored image represents infrared data on Tropical Storm Iselle on July 31 at 5:23 p.m. EDT from the AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite.

Image Credit: NASA JPL

Tropical Depression Genevieve Strengthens
On August 4, Tropical Depression Genevieve was located about 930 miles (1,495 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. Maximum sustained winds were still near 35 mph (55 kph).

Genevieve was moving westward at about 16 mph (26 kph). NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center forecasts gradual strengthening late on August 4 and 5, so Genevieve could once again reach tropical storm status.

To the east of Genevieve lies low pressure area known as System 93C. It is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms.

System 93C is located about 500 miles south of Hilo, Hawaii. This low pressure area is moving to the west at 15 mph and currently has a near zero percent chance of becoming a tropical depression over the next couple of days.