Tag: Henriette 2019

Aug. 13, 2019 – NASA Finds Henriette Fading

Infrared imagery from NASA’s Terra satellite found just a few scattered areas of cold clouds in the Eastern Pacific Ocean’s Tropical Depression Henriette on August 13.

NASA’s Terra 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 August 13 at 1:30 a.m. EDT (0530 UTC), the Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA’s Terra satellite gathered infrared data on Henriette.

MODIS found just a few scattered areas of cold clouds in thunderstorms in the depression. Those thunderstorms had cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 45.5 Celsius).

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that Henriette was weakening quickly. At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Henriette was located near latitude 21.1 degrees north and longitude 115.2 degrees west. That’s about 360 miles (580 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 13 mph (20 km/h) and this general motion should continue through tonight.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 30 mph (45 kph) with higher gusts.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb (29.77 inches).

NHC said, “Additional weakening is expected during the next 24 hours, and the depression is forecast to degenerate into a remnant low later today [Aug. 13, 2019].”

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

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Aug. 12, 2019 – NASA Measures Rain Rate in Tiny Tropical Storm Henriette

Tiny Tropical Storm Henriette is the newest addition to the tropical cyclone line-up in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The storm developed early on Aug. 12 and soon after the GPM satellite passed overhead and found heavy rain happening around its center.

The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite passed over Tropical Storm Henriette at 2:06 a.m. EDT (0606 UTC) on August 12, 2019. GPM found the heaviest rainfall was around the center of circulation falling at a rate of 25 mm (about 1 inch) per hour, over open waters of the Eastern Pacific. GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA.

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) said,  at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Henriette was located near latitude 19.7 degrees north and longitude 112.2 degrees west. The storm is far enough away from land that there are no coastal warnings in effect. It is about 265 miles (430 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico.

Henriette is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph (19 kph) and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 millibars.

Henriette is expected to begin weakening by Tuesday, Aug. 13 and degenerate into a remnant low pressure area by Tuesday night.

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

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center