Tag: Haishen 2020

Sep. 08, 2020 – NASA Satellites Catch Typhoon Haishen Before and After Landfall

Formerly a typhoon, Tropical Storm Haishen made landfall in South Korea on Monday, Sept. 2 and continued moving north toward China. NASA’s Aqua satellite provided an infrared view of Haishen as a typhoon before landfall and a visible image after landfall as an extra-tropical storm.

 

Infrared View of Haishen as a Typhoon

One of the ways NASA researches tropical cyclones is using infrared data that provides temperature information. The AIRS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured a look at those temperatures in Haishen and gave insight into the size of the storm and its rainfall potential.

Cloud top temperatures provide information to forecasters about where the strongest storms are located within a tropical cyclone. Tropical cyclones do not always have uniform strength, and some sides have stronger sides than others. The stronger the storms, the higher they extend into the troposphere, and they have the colder cloud temperatures. NASA provides that data to forecasters so they can incorporate in their forecasts.

On Sept. 3 at 11:53 p.m. EDT (Sept. 4 at 0353), NASA’s Aqua satellite analyzed the storm using the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument. At the time, Haishen was a Super Typhoon with maximum sustained winds near 135 knots (155 mph/250 kph) and strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane/typhoon later that day.

AIRS found coldest cloud top temperatures as cold as or colder than minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 62.2 degrees Celsius) around a very clear and open eye. NASA research has shown that cloud top temperatures that cold indicate strong storms that have the capability to create heavy rain.

Haishen Batters Kyushu, Japan

Before Typhoon Haishen made landfall, it moved past southwestern Japan, knocking out power to around 475,000 houses in Kyushu. Haishen brought very heavy rain, storm surge, flooding and landslides as it moved west of Kyushu toward South Korea. In Japan, over 100 people were reported injured, two people died and four people were reported missing.

Typhoon Haishen made its landfall in South Korea’s southeastern coast on Monday, Sept. 7.

Haishen’s Final Bulletin

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on Sept. 7, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JWTC) issued their final bulletin on Tropical Storm Haishen. At that time, Haishen was located near latitude 40.7 degrees north and longitude 128.9 degrees east, about 233 miles north-northeast of Osan Air Base, South Korea. Haishen was moving quickly to the north at 24 knots (28 mph/44 kph). Maximum sustained winds were near 35 knots (40 mph/65 kph). Haishen was moving north and is becoming extra-tropical.

A Visible Image of an Extra-tropical Storm

On Sept. 7 at 11:40 p.m. EDT (0340 UTC, Sept. 8), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite provided a visible image of Extra-Tropical Storm Haishen over eastern China. Haishen’s eastern quadrant extended over the northern Sea of Japan.

After landfall in South Korea and a track north to China, Haishen moved over China’s Jilin Province as an extra-tropical storm. The China Meteorological Department said Haishen started to move out of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture and into Heilongjiang Province at noon (local time) on Tuesday.

What does Extra-tropical Mean?

When a storm becomes extra-tropical, it 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.

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.

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Sep. 04, 2020 – NASA Satellite Finds Haishen Now a Super Typhoon

NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite passed over the Philippine Sea on Sept. 4 and provided a visible image of Haishen that had strengthened into a super typhoon.

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard Suomi NPP provided a visible image of Haishen that revealed a large, circular, organized structure of strong thunderstorms circling the open eye. The eyewall, the strong thunderstorms that circle the open eye, is estimated to be 81 nautical miles-wide. Satellite data indicate the eye is about 31 nautical miles wide. The storm is at least 450 miles in diameter, as tropical storm-force winds extend up to 225 miles from the center.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) in Honolulu, Hawaii noted at 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on Sept. 4, that Super Typhoon Haishen had maximum sustained winds near 135 knots (155 mph/250 kph). It is currently a Category 4 hurricane/typhoon. It was centered near latitude 22.2 degrees north and longitude 134.3 degrees east, about 439 nautical miles southeast of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa Island, Japan. The storm was moving to the northwest.

JTWC forecasters expect Haishen will turn to the north-northwest while intensifying more. It is expected to peak later on Sept. 4 with sustained winds near 140 knots (161 mph/259 kph) which would make it equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. JWTC forecasts Haishen to pass west of Kyushu, Japan and make landfall in South Korea after 3 days.

NASA Researches Tropical Cyclones

Hurricanes/tropical cyclones 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.

For more than five decades, NASA has used the vantage point of space to understand and explore our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. NASA brings together technology, science, and unique global Earth observations to provide societal benefits and strengthen our nation. Advancing knowledge of our home planet contributes directly to America’s leadership in space and scientific exploration.

By Rob Gutro 
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Sep. 03, 2020 – NASA Eyes Typhoon Haishen’s 10 Mile-wide Eye   

NASA’s Terra satellite’s visible image of Typhoon Haishen revealed a small “pinhole” eye surrounded by several hundred miles of thunderstorms spiraling around it as it continued moving north though the Northwestern Pacific Ocean.

NASA Satellite View: Haishen’s Organization

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA’s Terra satellite captured a visible image of Typhoon Haishen on Sept. 3 at 0145 UTC (Sept. 2 at 9:45 p.m. EDT).  Satellite imagery shows deep convection and spiral banding of thunderstorms wrapping tightly around the 10 nautical-mile wide eye and into a low-level circulation center.

Satellite imagery was created using NASA’s Worldview product at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

Haishen on Sept. 1

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on Sept. 3, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) in Honolulu, Hawaii noted that Typhoon Haishen was located about 646 nautical miles east-southeast of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa Island, Japan. It was centered near latitude 20.7 degrees north and longitude 137.7 degrees east. Haishen was moving to the northwest with maximum sustained winds of 95 knots (109 mph/176 kph).

Haishen is forecast to turn northwest while intensifying to 130 knots (150 mph/241 kph) within the next two days. The storm will pass west of Kyushu, Japan to make landfall in South Korea after 4 days.

About NASA’s Worldview and Terra Satellite

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.

For updated forecasts, visit: www.nhc.noaa.gov

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Sep. 02, 2020 – NASA Analyzes Typhoon Haishen’s Water Vapor Concentration

When NASA’s Terra satellite passed over the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, it gathered water vapor data on recently developed Typhoon Haishen and found powerful storms in two locations.

Haishen strengthened quickly. It developed on August 31 as Tropical Depression 11W, and by Sept. 1, it had reached tropical storm status. By Sept. 2, it was a typhoon.

Water vapor analysis of tropical cyclones tells forecasters how much potential a storm has to develop. Water vapor releases latent heat as it condenses into liquid. That liquid becomes clouds and thunderstorms that make up a tropical cyclone. Temperature is important when trying to understand how strong storms can be. The higher the cloud tops, the colder and the stronger the storms.

NASA’s Terra satellite passed over Haishen on Sept. 2 at 9:35 a.m. EDT (1335 UTC), and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument gathered water vapor content and temperature information. The MODIS image showed highest concentrations of water vapor and coldest cloud top temperatures were around the center of circulation and in a large band of thunderstorms in the northeastern quadrant of the storm.

MODIS data also showed coldest cloud top temperatures were as cold as or colder than minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.6 degrees Celsius) in those storms. Storms with cloud top temperatures that cold have the capability to produce heavy rainfall.

On Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), Typhoon Haishen had maximum sustained winds near 70 knots (80 mph/130 kph) and it was strengthening. It was centered near latitude 19.5 degrees north and longitude 140.4 degrees east, about 812 nautical miles east-southeast of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. Haishen was moving to the west-northwest.

Haishen’s Forecast Path Expected Similar to Maysak’s

As Typhoon Maysak approaches landfall in southern South Korea today, forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center now expect Haishen to follow a similar path.

Haishen will veer to the northwest while intensifying to 120 knots. The storm is forecast to move west of Kyushu, Japan, and will make landfall in South Korea after four days.

NASA’s Terra satellite is one in a fleet of NASA satellites that provide data for hurricane research.

NASA Researches Tropical Cyclones

Hurricanes/tropical cyclones 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.

For more than five decades, NASA has used the vantage point of space to understand and explore our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. NASA brings together technology, science, and unique global Earth observations to provide societal benefits and strengthen our nation. Advancing knowledge of our home planet contributes directly to America’s leadership in space and scientific exploration.

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center