Paul (Eastern Pacific Ocean) 2018

Sep. 12, 2018 – NASA Sees Paul Become a Remnant Low Pressure Area

Former Tropical Storm Paul lost its strength and appeared as a swirl of clouds on infrared imagery from NASA.

Aqua image of Paul
NASA’s Aqua satellite found Tropical Depression Paul a swirl of clouds when it passed overhead on Sept. 12 at 6:35 a.m. EDT (1035 UTC). Credit: NASA/NRL

At 5 a.m. EDT on Sept. 12, the National Hurricane Center noted that Paul has lacked organized deep convection (rising air that creates the thunderstorms that make up a tropical cyclone) for over 12 hours  and had become a remnant low pressure area about 1,115 miles (1,795 km) west of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico.

The center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Paul was located near latitude 22.3 degrees north and longitude 127.4 degrees west. Paul is moving toward the west near 9 mph (15 kph), and this general heading with a decrease in forward speed is expected for the next day or two. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts.

For the first time since August 14, the northeast Pacific has no tropical cyclones.

NASA’s Aqua satellite passed Paul on Sept. 12 at 6:35 a.m. EDT (1035 UTC) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument and saw the remnants devoid of rainfall. Paul looked like a ghostly swirl of clouds in infrared imagery. Wind shear was clearly affecting the system as the bulk of clouds were pushed west and southwest of the center.

The remnant low is expected to gradually weaken over the next several days.

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Sep. 11, 2018 – NASA Sees Tropical Depression Paul’s Strength Sapped

NASA’s Aqua satellite provided an infrared look at Tropical Depression Paul and found its center pushed away from strongest storms.

Aqua image of Paul
At 5:50 a.m. EDT (0950 UTC) on Sept. 11, the MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite looked at Tropical Depression Paul infrared light. MODIS found a small area of coldest cloud tops (red) had temperatures near minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.6 degrees Celsius). Credit: NASA/NRL

At 5:50 a.m. EDT (0950 UTC) on Sept. 11, from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite revealed a small area of strongest storms in Paul. Those storms, pushed west of the center of circulation, had cloud tops with temperatures near minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.6 degrees Celsius). NASA research has found that cloud top temperatures that cold have the capability to generate heavy rainfall.

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) said “The center of Paul remains to the east of a small area of deep convection.”

At 8 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Paul was located near latitude 22.3 North, longitude 124.1 West. Paul is far from land areas so there are no warnings or watches in effect. It is centered about 905 miles (1,460 km) west of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico.

The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph (19 kph).  A gradual turn toward the west and a decrease in forward speed is anticipated over the next few days.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts. Slow weakening is anticipated as Paul moves into a stable, drier air mass and over cooler sea surface temperatures. Paul is expected to weaken into a remnant low on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

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

By Rob Gutro
NASA’ Goddard Space Flight Center

Sep. 10, 2018 – NASA Finds Wind Shear Affecting Tropical Storm Paul     

Infrared imagery from NASA’s Aqua satellite showed that newly developed tropical storm Paul in the Eastern Pacific is dealing with wind shear.

Aqua image of Paul
At 2:30 a.m. EDT (0630 UTC) on Sept. 10, the MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite looked at Tropical Storm Paul in infrared light. MODIS found coldest cloud tops (red) had temperatures near minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.6 degrees Celsius) were pushed southwest of the center from wind shear. Credit: NASA/NRL

Tropical Depression 18E formed on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 11 a.m. EDT and strengthened in a tropical storm on Sept. 9.

Infrared satellite data at 2:30 a.m. EDT (0630 UTC) on Sept. 10 from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite revealed the strongest storms in Tropical Storm Paul were displaced from the center.

MODIS found coldest cloud tops had temperatures near minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.6 degrees Celsius) being pushed southwest of the center from northeasterly vertical wind shear. NASA research has found that cloud top temperatures that cold have the capability to generate heavy rainfall.

The National Hurricane Center noted “Paul continues to have its low-level center displaced on the northeast side of the main area of deep convection. This convection is not well organized and there is little or no evidence of banding features.”

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on Sept. 10 the The National Hurricane Center of NHC noted the center of Tropical Storm Paul was far from land and located near latitude 20.8 degrees north and longitude 120.7 degrees west. That’s about 705 miles (1,140 km) west of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. Paul is moving toward the northwest near 10 mph (17 km/h), and a turn toward the west-northwest is expected by tonight. Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts. Weakening is forecast, and Paul is expected to become a remnant low in a few days.

For updates on Paul, visit: www.nhc.noaa.gov

By Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center