April 2019 – Hurricane And Typhoon Updates

Fani (Northern Indian Ocean)

Apr. 30, 2019 – NASA’s Aqua Satellite Finds Tropical Cyclone Fani Stronger, More Organized

Visible imagery from NASA’s Aqua satellite showed Tropical Cyclone Fani appeared more organized than the previous day.

Aqua image of Fani — On April 30, at 3:40 a.m. EDT (0740 UTC) the MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite provided a visible image of Tropical Cyclone Fani in the Northern Indian Ocean showing powerful thunderstorms around the center of circulation. Credit: NASA/NRL

On April 30, at 3:40 a.m. EDT (0740 UTC) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite provided a visible image of Fani. The image revealed a tight circular area of powerful thunderstorms around Fani’s small low-level center of circulation. A large, powerful and thick band of thunderstorms spiraled into the center from the west, and a large fragmented band circled the center from the east. There’s also the hint of a developing eye in the MODIS image.

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC noted that the maximum sustained winds had increased to 90 knots (104 mph/167 kph). That’s the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Fani was centered near 12.9 degrees north latitude and 85.5 degrees east longitude, approximately 612 nautical miles south-southwest of Calcutta, India. Fani was moving to the northwest.

The JTWC forecast noted that Fani is in an area favorable for further intensification. It is moving through an area of warm sea surface temperatures, as warm as 31 degrees Celsius. Sea surface temperatures warmer than 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.6 degrees Celsius) are needed to maintain a tropical cyclone, so the warmer waters will help the storm intensify. Fani is also moving through an area with low wind shear, so outside winds will not inhibit further development.

JTWC expects Fani to continue northward and turn northeast. Landfall is expected in about 84 hours or three and a half days on the Odisha coast. Odisha is one of the 29 states of India.

For updated forecasts from the India Meteorological Department, visit: http://www.imd.gov.in/

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Lorna (Southern Indian Ocean)

Apr. 29, 2019 – NASA Shows Winds Causing Tropical Cyclone Lorna’s Demise

NASA’s Aqua satellite saw Tropical Cyclone Lorna was being torn apart by strong northwesterly wind shear in the Southern Indian Ocean.

Aqua image of Lorna — On April 29 at 4:29 a.m. EDT (0829 UTC), the MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite provided a visible image of Tropical Cyclone Lorna in the Southern Indian Ocean. Credit: NASA/NRL

In general, wind shear is a measure of how the speed and direction of winds change with altitude. Tropical cyclones are like rotating cylinders of winds. Each level needs to be stacked on top each other vertically in order for the storm to maintain strength or intensify. Wind shear occurs when winds at different levels of the atmosphere push against the rotating cylinder of winds, weakening the rotation by pushing it apart at different levels.

On April 29 at 4:29 a.m. EDT (0829 UTC), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite provided a visible image of Lorna. Northwesterly winds were pushing the bulk of Lorna’s clouds far southeast of its center.

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC issued their final warning in Lorna. At that time, JTWC noted that Tropical Cyclone Lorna was located near 22.1 degrees south latitude and 88.8 degrees east longitude. That is 738 nautical miles southwest of Cocos Island. Lorna was moving to the south-southwest. Maximum sustained winds dropped to 35 knots (40 mph/65 kph) and the storm was getting weaker.

Lorna is rapidly weakening under adverse atmospheric conditions. The JTWC noted that the “environment is very hostile with extremely high (50 to 60 knot/57 to 69 mph/ /92 to 111 kph) vertical wind shear,” which is tearing the storm apart. Lorna is forecast to dissipate by April 30.

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Fani (Northern Indian Ocean)

Apr. 29, 2019 – NASA Looks at Tropical Storm Fani’s Rainfall Rates

Tropical Storm Fani formed in the Northern Indian Ocean over the weekend of April 27 and 28. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite passed over the storm and measured rainfall occurring throughout the new storm.

GPM image of Fani — The GPM core satellite passed over Tropical Storm Fani at 8:06 a.m. EDT (1206 UTC) on April 29. GPM found the heaviest rainfall (pink) was in an area south of the center of circulation. There rain was falling at a rate of about 1.6 inches (40 mm) per hour. Rainfall was occurring at rate around 1 inch (25 mm) per hour in bands of thunderstorms circling the center. Credit: NASA/JAXA/NRL

GPM’s core satellite flew over Tropical Cyclone Fani at 8:06 a.m. EDT (1206 UTC) on April 29 and found the heaviest rainfall was in an area south of the center of circulation. There rain was falling at a rate of about 1.6 inches (40 mm) per hour. Rainfall was occurring at rate around 1 inch (25 mm) per hour in bands of thunderstorms circling the center. GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center noted, “Animated enhanced infrared satellite imagery reveals significant consolidation in the convective structure and a better idea of the location of the low level circulation center. There is high confidence in the initial position based on an eye feature in a microwave satellite image.”

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Cyclone Fani had maximum sustained winds near 55 knots (63 mph/102 kph). Fani was located near latitude 10.5 degrees north and longitude 86.6 degrees east. That is about 420 nautical miles east-southeast of Chennai, India. Fani is moving to the northwest and is forecast to intensify to hurricane strength.

Fani is forecast to make landfall in northeastern India on May 3.

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Lorna (Southern Indian Ocean)

Apr. 26, 2019 – NASA’s Aqua Satellite Tracks Tropical Cyclone Lorna

As Tropical Storm Lorna continued moving in a southerly direction in the Southeastern Indian Ocean, NASA’s Aqua satellite passed overhead and provided forecasters with a look at the storm.

At 3:55 a.m. EDT (0755 UTC) on April 26, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard Aqua captured a visible image of Lorna. Lorna does not appear symmetrical and the strongest thunderstorms appear over the western side of the storm. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC forecasters also noted, “Animated enhanced infrared satellite imagery depicts a central dense overcast feature obscuring the low-level circulation center.”

By 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on April 26, Tropical Storm Lorna had maximum sustained winds near 60 knots (46 mph/74 kph). Lorna was centered near 13.0 degrees south latitude and 88.6 degrees east longitude, approximately 495 nautical miles west of Cocos Island. Lorna was moving to the east-southeast.

Lorna is forecast to strengthen to hurricane-strengthen and move in a southerly direction. Over the weekend of April 27 and 28, Lorna is expected to begin transitioning into an extra-tropical cyclone.

That means that a tropical cyclone has lost its “tropical” characteristics. The National Hurricane Center defines “extra-tropical” as a transition that implies both poleward displacement (meaning it moves toward the north or south pole) of the cyclone and the conversion of the cyclone’s primary energy source from the release of latent heat of condensation to baroclinic (the temperature contrast between warm and cold air masses) processes. It is important to note that cyclones can become extratropical and retain winds of hurricane or tropical storm force.

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Kenneth (Southern Indian Ocean)

Apr. 26, 2019 – NASA Sees Remnants of Tropical Cyclone Kenneth Over Northern Mozambique

NASA’s Aqua satellite provided a visible image of the remnant clouds and storms still lingering over northern Mozambique on April 26. Tropical Cyclone Kenneth made landfall in the less-populated northern reaches of Mozambique on April 25.

Aqua image of Kenneth — On April 25, NASA’s Aqua satellite passed over Mozambique and captured a visible image of the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Kenneth as it continued to linger over the country and generate rainfall. Credit: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

On April 25, NASA’s Aqua satellite passed over Mozambique. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument captured a visible image of the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Kenneth as it continued to linger over the country and generate rainfall. According to the Republic of Mozambique’s National Meteorological Institute (NMI), on April 25, “Kenneth was nestled in the valley of Cabo Delgado, located in the District of Macomia.”

According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Kenneth made landfall with maximum wind speeds of 140 miles per hour (220 kph), the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane.

Kenneth weakened rapidly overnight, as it moved north of Pemba. Part of the area Kenneth moved over includes the Parque Nacional das Quirimbas or the National Park of Quirimbas. The park covers 68 miles (110 kilometers) and 11 of the southernmost Quirimbas islands. On the mainland, the park is located along the northeast coast of Mozambique.

According to CNN meteorologist Chad Myers, a storm surge was recorded between 16.4 and 23 feet (5 and 7 meters) high in areas located north of Pemba. Kenneth has already dropped over 9.8 inches (250 mm) of rainfall and the storm is expected to continue raining over Mozambique for the next several days.

NMI forecasters noted on April 25, “Heavy rains are expected to be very strong (1.9 to 3.9 inches or 50 to 100 millimeters in 24 hours), strong gusts up to (43.4 mph) 70 kilometers per hour and severe thunderstorms in the provinces of Cabo Delgado (all districts), Nampula (districts of Nacala, Memba, Erati, Nacarroa, Muecate, Namapa, Island of Mocambique, Mussoril and Monapo) and Niassa (districts of Mecula, Marrupa and Nipepe).”

For updated alerts from NMI, visit: http://www.inam.gov.mz/index.php/pt/alertas-e-avisos

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Kenneth (Southern Indian Ocean)

Apr. 25, 2019 – NASA’s AIRS Images Cyclone Kenneth over Mozambique

Just weeks after Cyclone Idai left a path of destruction through Mozambique, Cyclone Kenneth is now battering the country in southeast Africa. It is likely the strongest storm on record to hit Mozambique, with wind speeds equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane at landfall. It is also the first time in recent history that the country has been hit by back-to-back hurricane-strength storms.

AIRS image of Kenneth — This infrared image from NASA’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) shows the temperature of clouds or the surface in and around Tropical Cyclone Kenneth as it was about to make landfall in northern Mozambique on Thursday, April 25. Full image and caption.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument captured this infrared image of Kenneth just as the storm was about to make landfall on April 25. The large purple area indicates very cold clouds carried high into the atmosphere by deep thunderstorms. The orange areas are mostly cloud-free; the clear air is caused by air moving outward from the cold clouds near the storm’s center, then downward into the surrounding areas.

The image was taken at 1:30 p.m. local time, just before the cyclone made landfall in northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province. With maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph), Kenneth was the first known hurricane-strength storm to make landfall in the province. Heavy rainfall and life-threatening flooding are expected over the next several days.

AIRS, in conjunction with the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), senses emitted infrared and microwave radiation from Earth to provide a three-dimensional look at Earth’s weather and climate. Working in tandem, the two instruments make simultaneous observations down to Earth’s surface, even in the presence of heavy clouds. With more than 2,000 channels sensing different regions of the atmosphere, the system creates a global, three-dimensional map of atmospheric temperature and humidity, cloud amounts and heights, greenhouse gas concentrations and many other atmospheric phenomena. Launched into Earth orbit in 2002, the AIRS and AMSU instruments fly onboard NASA’s Aqua spacecraft and are managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, under contract with NASA. JPL is a division of Caltech.

More information about AIRS and NASA’s Disasters Program can be found here:

https://airs.jpl.nasa.gov/

https://disasters.nasa.gov/

By Esprit Smith
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-4269
esprit.smith@jpl.nasa.gov

Lorna (Southern Indian Ocean)

Apr. 25, 2019 – NASA Finds a More Circular Tropical Cyclone Lorna

NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite passed over the Southern Indian Ocean and captured a visible image of what appeared to be a more organized Tropical Cyclone Lorna.

The Suomi NPP satellite flew over Lorna on April 25 at 4:30 a.m. EDT (0830 UTC) and the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument provided a visible image of the storm. The VIIRS image showed a more circular storm, indicating that the storm was consolidating and strengthening. Microwave data revealed an eye feature.

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on April 25, Tropical Cyclone Lorna was centered near 10.8 degrees south latitude and 85.9 degrees east longitude, about 824 miles east-southeast of Diego Garcia. Lorna was moving to the east-southeast and had maximum sustained winds 50 knots (57 mph/92 kph).

Lorna is no threat to land areas. Lorna is expected to move southeast while strengthening to 75 knots (86 mph/139 kph) attaining hurricane strength. After three days, the storm will turn south and become extra-tropical.

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Kenneth (Southern Indian Ocean)

Apr. 25, 2019 – NASA-NOAA Satellite Catches Intense Tropical Cyclone Kenneth Make Landfall in Northern Mozambique

Mozambique is still recovering from deadly Tropical Cyclone Idai, and a second powerful tropical cyclone has now made landfall in the country. As NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite passed over the Southern Indian Ocean, it captured an infrared image of Tropical Cyclone Kenneth making landfall in northern Mozambique.

Suomi NPP image of Kenneth — NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite observed Kenneth at 5:24 p.m. EDT (2142 UTC) on April 24, 2019. On the edge of the pass as it was to the northwest of Comoros. The infrared imagery showed features that are typical of an intense tropical system with overshooting cloud tops and convectively driven tropospheric gravity waves. Credit: NASA/NOAA/ University of Wisconsin – Madison, SSES-CIMSS, William Straka III

Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall on March 15 in central Mozambique. It caused catastrophic flooding, landslides, and large numbers of casualties across Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.

Intense Tropical Cyclone Kenneth made landfall today, April 25, in northern Mozambique. It was likely the strongest storm on record in northern Mozambique, equivalent to a weak Category 4, strong Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Kenneth has also made history simply by the fact that Mozambique has never been hit by back-to-back storms.

Over night of April 24 and 25, intense Tropical Cyclone Kenneth was observed by three satellites including Suomi NPP, NOAA’s NOAA-20 and the GCOM-W1 satellite. Each provided several unique points of view of the storm. On April 25 at 0000 UTC (April 24 at 8 p.m. EDT) The Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre or RSMC at La Reunion Island stated that Kenneth had winds of 105 knots (121 mph/194 kph), which would have meant at the time it was the equivalent to a Category 3 storm. By 2 a.m. EDT (0600 UTC), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center had satellite derived winds of 125 knots (144 mph/213 kph).

William Straka III, a Researcher at the University of Wisconsin – Madison Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) created imagery using the NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite data. “Kenneth was first observed by Suomi-NPP at 5:24 p.m. EDT (2142 UTC) on the edge of the pass as it was to the northwest of Comoros. The infrared imagery showed features that are typical of an intense tropical system with overshooting cloud tops and convectively driven tropospheric gravity waves.”

Between the time Suomi NPP passed overhead and the NOAA-20 polar orbiting satellite passed over the region, the eye appeared to clear. In addition, the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) instrument aboard the NOAA-20 satellite looked at the inner structure of the storm. The ATMS microwave imagery showed powerful thunderstorms completely surrounded the eye of the storm.

By 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on April 25, Kenneth was still making landfall in northeastern Mozambique. It was centered near 12.1 degrees south latitude and 50.8 east longitude. That is about 150 miles west of Comoros Island. Kenneth was moving to the west-southwest and had maximum sustained winds 120 knots (138 mph/222 kph).

The JTWC forecaster said the system will rapidly weaken over land, but the remnants may re-emerge over the Mozambique Channel after a few days.

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Lorna (Southeastern Indian Ocean)

Apr. 24, 2019 – NASA’s Aqua Satellite Catches Tropical Cyclone Lorna Organizing

Visible satellite imagery from NASA’s Aqua satellite revealed the recently formed Tropical Storm Lorna was getting organized in the Southeastern Indian Ocean.

Lorna developed into a tropical storm on April 23 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) and was named Tropical Cyclone 25S. On April 24, it received the name Lorna. At 4:15 a.m. EDT (0815 UTC) on April 24, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard Aqua captured a visible image of Lorna. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC forecasters noted “persistent deep convection to the west of, and obscuring, the low level circulation center.”

By 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on April 24, Tropical Storm Lorna had maximum sustained winds near 40 knots (46 mph/74 kph). Lorna was centered near 10.9 degrees south latitude and 84.6 degrees east longitude, approximately 743 nautical miles southeast of Diego Garcia. Lorna has tracked to the east-southeast.

The tropical low pressure area designated System 92S is located east of Tropical Cyclone Lorna. The JTWC forecaster expect 92S to interact Lorna may merge with it.

Lorna is forecast to strengthen to hurricane-strengthen and move in a southerly direction. Lorna is not expected to affect any land areas.

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Kenneth (Southern Indian Ocean)

Apr. 24, 2019 – NASA Examines Tropical Cyclone Kenneth in Infrared Light

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Cyclone Kenneth and analyzed the storm in infrared light.

Infrared light provides scientists with temperature data and that is important when trying to understand how strong storms can be. The higher the cloud tops, the colder and the stronger they are. So infrared light as that gathered by the AIRS instrument can identify the strongest sides of a tropical cyclone.

NASA’s Aqua satellite flew over Kenneth on April 23 at 6:41 a.m. EDT (1041 UTC). AIRS detected strongest storms around the center of circulation and in a band of thunderstorms southwest of the center. Those areas revealed cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 degrees Celsius). Storms with cloud top temperatures that cold extend high into the troposphere and have the capability to produce heavy rainfall.

On April 24, Kenneth was located northeast of the island nation of Madagascar in the Southern Indian Ocean. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite provided a visible image of Tropical Cyclone Kenneth as it moved into the Mozambique Channel. The Channel is a body of water located between the island nation of Madagascar and Mozambique on the African mainland.

On April 24 at 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) Tropical cyclone Kenneth was located near 10.9 degrees south latitude and 45.7 east longitude. That is 148 nautical miles east-northeast of Comoros Island. Kenneth was moving to the west. Maximum sustained winds had increased to 70 knots (80 mph/130 kph) making Kenneth hurricane-strength.

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center expect Kenneth to move west and then shift toward the west-southwest while strengthening to 105 knots (121 mph/194 kph) prior to landfall in northern Mozambique.

For more information about AIRS, visit: airs.jpl.nasa.gov.

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center