July 12, 2020 – NASA Tracks Fay’s Remnants into Eastern Canada
Visible imagery from NASA’s Terra satellite showed that Post-Tropical Cyclone Fay had moved into eastern Canada by July 11.
NASA’s Terra satellite provided a visible image to forecasters of the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay on July 11, 2020 as it was moving from New York State into eastern Canada. Credit: NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA’s Terra satellite captured a visible image of Post-Tropical Storm Fay on July 11 at 1:30 p.m. EDT that showed the system had moved into eastern Canada.
At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. visible imagery from NASA’s Terra satellite was used to create a time lapse of the movement of Tropical Storm Fay from July 9 to 11. The animation showed Fay had moved through upstate New York and into eastern Canada. The animation was created using NASA Worldview.
NASA’s Terra satellite provided a visible time lapse of the movement of Tropical Storm Fay movement from July 9 to July 11. The animation showed Fay had moved through upstate New York and into eastern Canada. Credit: NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview
The National Hurricane Center noted that Fay’s remnants are still expected to be over Canada today, July 12. By 2 p.m. EDT (1800 UTC), the NHC expects the center of Fay to be near 52.5 degrees north latitude and 67.0 degrees west longitude, with maximum sustained winds near 20 knots (23 mph/37 kph) and diminishing. Fay’s remnants are expected to dissipate by 2 a.m. EDT (0600 UTC) on July 13.
NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview application provides the capability to interactively browse over 700 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and then download the underlying data. Many of the available imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, essentially showing the entire Earth as it looks “right now.”
NASA’s Terra satellite is one in a fleet of NASA satellites that provide data for hurricane research.
Tropical cyclones/hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA’s expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.
July 11, 2020 – NASA Catches Tropical Storm Fay’s Landfall and New York Trip
Two NASA satellites provided forecasters with data on Tropical Storm Fay as it made landfall and tracked into upstate New York, breaking rainfall records in New Jersey and the New York City region.
NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite provided a visible image of Tropical Storm Fay after it made landfall near Atlantic City, New Jersey, late on July 10. The visible image showed an elongated storm with the bulk of clouds north of the center and a large band of thunderstorms wrapping into the center from the east. Credit: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS)
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite provided a visible image of Tropical Storm Fay as it was making landfall near Atlantic City, New Jersey. The visible image showed an elongated storm with the bulk of clouds north of the center and a large band of thunderstorms wrapping into the center from the east.
At around 5 p.m. EDT (2100 UTC) on July 10, satellite imagery indicated that the center of Tropical Storm Fay made landfall along the coast of New Jersey about 10 miles (15 km) north-northeast of Atlantic City, near latitude 39.5 degrees north and longitude 74.3 degrees west.
Record Rainfall Recorded in New Jersey and New York
Fay brought heavy rains that downed trees and caused street flooding from the New Jersey shore to New York City. Local authorities reported that many subway stations around New York City experienced flooding from the heavy rains. On July 10, the National Weather Service weather station in Central Park, New York received 2.54 inches of rainfall, breaking a record. JFK Airport in New York also broke a rainfall record after receiving 2.33 inches. In New Jersey, Newark broke a rainfall record for the day, after receiving 2.78 inches.
NASA’s Aqua Satellite Observes a Weaker Fay
The following day, NASA’s Aqua satellite provided an infrared analysis of Fay after its center had moved north into New York State. NASA’s Aqua satellite uses infrared light to analyze the strength of storms by providing temperature information about the system’s clouds. The strongest thunderstorms that reach high into the atmosphere have the coldest cloud top temperatures.
On July 11 at 3:40 a.m. EDT (0740 UTC), NASA’s Aqua satellite found some small areas of moderate thunderstorms (blue) in Upstate New York and stretching over Lake Ontario and into the Ontario province of Canada, where cloud top temperatures were as cold as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 45.5 Celsius). Credit: NASA/NRL
On July 11 at 3:40 a.m. EDT (0740 UTC), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite gathered infrared data on Fay. There were some small areas of moderate thunderstorms in upstate New York and stretching over Lake Ontario and into the Ontario province of Canada, where cloud top temperatures were as cold as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 45.5 Celsius). The National Hurricane Center or NHC noted, “The system has lacked significant organized deep convection for some time now, and therefore it has degenerated into a post-tropical low pressure system.”
Fay’s Final Status
At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on July 11, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued their final advisory on Tropical Storm Fay. At that time, the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Fay was located near latitude 42.4 degrees north and longitude 73.9 degrees west. That is about 30 miles (45 km) south of Albany New York. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the north near 17 mph (28 kph). The estimated minimum central pressure is 1001 millibars.
Maximum sustained winds were near 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts. Weakening is forecast during the next day so, and the post-tropical cyclone is likely to dissipate by late Sunday, July 12.
Fay’s Expected Track to Dissipation
NHC forecasters expect a north-northeastward motion at a faster forward speed today, tonight and Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of the post-tropical cyclone will continue to move across portions of eastern New York this morning, then across northwestern New England later today and over southeastern Canada tonight and Sunday.
Rainfall is the biggest issue with Fay as it continues to move over land. The post-tropical cyclone is expected to produce 1 to 2 inches of rain with isolated maxima of 4 inches along and near its track from eastern New York into portions of New England. This rain may result in flash flooding and urban flooding in areas with poor drainage where the heaviest amounts occur.
Tropical cyclones/hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA’s expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.
July 10, 2020 (part 2)- NASA’s AIRS Monitors Tropical Storm Fay as It Deluges the East Coast
Tropical Storm Fay is sweeping across New England, with the center of the storm making landfall about 10 miles (15 kilometers) north-northeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey, at around 5 p.m. local time. At that time, Fay had maximum sustained winds of around 50 mph (85 kph). Forecasters predicted the storm will dump up to 7 inches (18 centimeters) of rain along its path from Delaware into New Jersey.
NASA’s AIRS instrument captured this image of Tropical Storm Fay around 2 p.m. local time on July 10, 2020, as the storm swept through New England. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) collected this image at around 2 p.m. local time on Friday, July 10. The purple regions indicate very cold clouds lofted high into the atmosphere by the storm and generally linked to heavy rainfall. Warmer clouds closer to the ground show up as green and blue, while the orange areas denote mostly cloud-free parts of the sky.
AIRS, together with the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), measures the infrared and microwave radiation emitted from Earth to study the planet’s weather and climate. Both instruments observe Earth from NASA’s Aqua satellite, which launched in 2002.
AIRS and AMSU work in tandem to 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. The AIRS and AMSU instruments are managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California under contract with NASA. JPL is a division of Caltech.
July 10, 2020 – NASA Tracks Tropical Storm Fay’s Development and Strongest Side
NASA used satellite data to create an animation of Fay’s development and progression over the past few days, showing how the storm organized into a tropical storm. Additionally, NASA’s Aqua satellite used infrared light to find the location of the strongest storms in Tropical Storm Fay occurring in the northeastern quadrant of the storm, mostly over the Atlantic Ocean.
On July 10 at 2:55 a.m. EDT (0655 UTC), the MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite gathered temperature information about Tropical Storm Fay’s cloud tops. MODIS found powerful thunderstorms where temperatures were as cold as or colder than minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 Celsius) mostly over the western Atlantic Ocean and over parts of coastal Delaware and southern New Jersey. Credit: NASA/NRL
Tropical Storm Fay was officially named as the sixth tropical storm the Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season by 5 p.m. EDT on July 9. The storm formed just off the North Carolina coast. For several days before that, forecasters were using satellite data to track the storm as it developed.
Animating the Development of Fay
Previously designated as System 98L, the low-pressure area formed off the Georgia coast and moved north. At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. NASA Worldview was used to create an animation of visible imagery of the storm using data from NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite. The animation showed the development and progression of System 98L into Tropical Storm Fay from July 6 to July 9.
NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview application provides the capability to interactively browse over 700 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and then download the underlying data. Many of the available imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, essentially showing the entire Earth as it looks “right now.” Worldview is a tool that can be used to generate satellite imagery and animations.
NASA Worldview was used to create an animation of visible imagery from the NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite was animated and showed the development and progression of System 98L into Tropical Storm Fay from July 6 to July 9. Image Courtesy: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS).
NASA Analyzing Fay in Infrared Light
On July 10 at 2:55 a.m. EDT (0655 UTC), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite gathered temperature information about Tropical Storm Fay’s cloud tops. MODIS found powerful thunderstorms where temperatures were as cold as or colder than minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 Celsius) mostly over the western Atlantic Ocean and along coastal areas of Delaware and southern New Jersey. Cloud top temperatures that cold indicate strong storms with the potential to generate heavy rainfall.
Warnings and Watches on July 9
At 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC), the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Fenwick Island, Delaware to Watch Hill, Rhode Island including Long Island and Long Island Sound, as well as Southern Delaware Bay. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.
What to Expect from Fay
The National Hurricane Center noted that in addition to tropical-storm force winds, storm surge and a possibility for isolated tornadoes, Fay is expected to produce heavy rainfall. “Fay is forecast to generate 2 to 4 inches of rain with isolated maxima of 7 inches along and near the track from the lower Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware northward into New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, southeast New York, and southern New England. These rains may result in flash flooding where the heaviest amounts occur.”
Fay’s Status on July 9
At that time the NHC reported the center of Tropical Storm Fay was located by an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft near latitude 37.6 degrees north and longitude 74.7 degrees west. Fay was centered about 55 miles (85 km) south-southeast of Ocean City, Md. Fay is moving toward the north near 10 mph (17 kph). A northward to north-northeastward motion at a faster forward speed is expected over the next couple of days.
Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 kph) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast today and tonight while the center remains over water. Weakening should begin after the center moves inland. The estimated minimum central pressure based on aircraft data is 999 millibars.
A Weatherflow station at Lewes, Delaware recently reported a sustained wind of 33 mph (54 kph) and a wind gust of 39 mph (63 kph).
Fay’s Forecast Track
NHC forecasters expect the center of Fay to move near the mid-Atlantic coast today and move inland over the mid-Atlantic or the northeast United States late tonight or on Saturday.
Typhoons/hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA’s expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.
