Tropical Storm Sean Absorbed into a Cold Front Over Atlantic

The most recent tropical storm of the Atlantic Hurricane season was absorbed by a cold front early this past weekend.

On Friday, November 11 at 11 a.m. AST, Sean's maximum sustained winds were near 50 mph and it was moving to the northeast at 23 mph. At that time, Sean was just 125 miles (200 km) north-northeast of Bermuda, and a tropical storm warning was still affect for the island. Twelve hours Sean's winds lessened and the tropical storm sped up, which are two signs of a weakening tropical cyclone.

The National Hurricane Center noted on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 11 p.m. AST that Sean had officially merged with a cold front. Satellite imagery from NOAA's GOES-13 satellite shows the cold front moving through the northeastern Atlantic Ocean on November 14. A visible image from GOES at 1445 UTC (9:45 a.m. EST) showed the clouds associated with the cold front that captured Sean. The GOES image was created at NASA/NOAA's GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

At 11 a.m. AST on November 11, Sean was a tropical storm and had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph (65 kmh). Those tropical-storm force winds extended 175 miles from the center, so Sean was about 350 miles in diameter. Sean was 505 miles (815 km) northeast of Bermuda and speeding to the east-northeast at 35 mph (56 kmh). Sean was classified at that time as a post-tropical storm.

Diamond stud

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Hurricane Hilary may turn toward Baja

SUMMIT COUNTY — Hurricane Hilary regained strength Monday, redeveloping sustained winds of 135 mph as it continued to move west over warm waters and in a low wind-shear environment. The storm is expected to weaken during the next few days as it moves over cooler water, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Whether or not Hilary will curve sharply north and potentially affect Baja is still unclear. Some of the forecast models show the storm making a sharp jog to the northeast Wednesday, on a path that could lead Hilary toward the southern end of the peninsula, but other forecasts suggest the hurricane will once again start heading out into the open waters of the Pacific. Check the NHC forecast discussion for more details.

The hurricane center said the uncertainty toward the end of the five-day forecast period is still quite high, so residents of southern Baja will probably be watching the storm closely the next few days. In any case, Hilary is likely to bring some big surf to Baja and potentially even parts of California.

In the Atlantic, the hurricane center now says that the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia are again showing signs of organization. That area of disturbed weather will bring heavy rain to parts of the northern Leeward Islands in the next few days. Forecasters said there’s a 60 percent chance the system will reform as a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours.

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Hurricane Maria Speeds Toward Newfoundland With 80 MPH Winds

Sept. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Hurricane Maria sped toward Newfoundland and is expected to cross the Canadian island later today with winds of at least 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour, the National Hurricane Center said.

Maria, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, was racing northeast across the Atlantic at 45 mph, the center said in a 5 a.m. Miami time advisory. The storm was about 495 miles southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland, and is forecast to strike Placentia Bay, passing north of St. John’s, a base for offshore oil and gas companies.

On its current track, “the center of Maria should pass near or over extreme southeastern Newfoundland this afternoon,” the center said. “Little change in strength is expected before Maria moves over southeastern Newfoundland.”

Energy companies including Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Hibernia Management & Development Co. have offshore facilities near the storm’s projected path, according to Bloomberg data. Hurricane Igor hit the island last year, killing three people and causing $200 million in damage.

Maria is expected to pass about 170 miles southeast of the Sable Offshore Energy Project’s Thebaud platform, Tanya White, a Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board spokeswoman, said yesterday in an e-mail.

The Sable natural-gas project is owned by a group including Exxon Mobil Canada Properties Ltd., Shell Canada Ltd., Imperial Oil Resources, Pengrowth Energy Corp. and Mosbacher Operating Ltd., according to its website.

Hurricane Warnings

A hurricane warning is in place for the coast of Newfoundland from Arnolds Cove to Brigus South, and a tropical storm warning, indicating winds of at least 39 mph are expected, was set for the area from Stones Cove to Arnolds Cove and from Brigus South to Charlottetown, the center said.

Hurricane-force winds extend 45 miles from Maria’s center. Tropical storm-strength winds reach 205 miles.

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2011 Atlantic hurricane season

The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season is an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The season officially started on June 1 and will end on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin.[1] However, should a tropical or subtropical cyclone form outside these dates during the calendar year 2011, it would count as part of the 2011 season.

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NASA's Aqua Satellite Spots Flooding from Tropical Storm Arlene in Mexico

On June 30, 2011, Tropical Storm Arlene made landfall near Cabo Rojo in Veracruz, Mexico. As the storm came ashore, the U.S. National Weather Service forecast total rainfall accumulations up to 8 inches (20 centimeters), and warned of potentially life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

The impact of Arlene’s heavy rain was clear in early July as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite passed overhead. MODIS captured an image on July 5, 2011 after Arlene had passed through.

The image was created using a combination of visible and infrared light to increase contrast between water and land. In the image, water varies from electric blue to navy. Depending on land cover, areas above water range in color from green to brown. Clouds are pale to medium blue-green.

A network of lakes extends inland from the city of Tampico. In the image from July 5, the lake network appears to have multiplied, with standing water covering large areas northwest and southwest of the city. Standing water is also apparent south of Cabo Rojo.

On July 5, 2011, the Associated Press reported that the Mexican government had raised the official death toll for Arlene to 22. Deaths occurred in multiple states, with the most deaths reported in Hidalgo.

Arlene was the first named Atlantic storm of the season.

Tropical Depression 03W-Western North Pacific Ocean

Tropical Depression 03W near the Philippines, according to data from NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. NASA's Aqua satellite confirmed the data through cold cloud-top temperatures and rain continues to fall in the Philippines today where the storm has been given the local name "Bebeng."

System 93W strengthened into Tropical Depression Three early on May 6 and is forecast to move toward Luzon late into the weekend. At 1500 UTC on May 6, the center of TD03W was located east of Visayas about 460 nautical miles east-southeast of Manila, the Philippines near 11.9 North and 138.0 East. It was moving toward the northwest at 3 knots. Maximum sustained winds are near 30 knots.

On May 6, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had not issued any warnings in the Philippines. The forecast from PAGASA on Friday, May 6 noted that clouds and scattered showers would affect the Bicol Region, Visayas and northern Mindanao, with thunderstorms developing over the Bicol Region and Visayas. Some of the rainfall could be heavy in those areas and may trigger flash flooding and landslides.

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite, managed by NASA and the Japanese Space Agency flew over Tropical Depression 03W on Friday, May 6 at 0837 UTC. TRMM noticed that the storm's rainfall was still concentrated on the western side of circulation, although the northern and eastern areas of the storm were also showing rainfall. Only a couple of very small areas of heavy rainfall were seen in the TRMM image around the northeastern fringes of circulation. In those small, isolated areas rain was falling at about 2 inches per hour. Rainfall around the rest of the storm was moderate, falling at rates between 20 and 40 millimeters per hour.

System 93W-Western North Pacific Ocean

System 93W is a large low pressure area in the Western North Pacific Ocean that appears poised for tropical development in NASA satellite imagery.

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured both an infrared and visible image of System 93W on May 4 at 01:53 UTC. The width of the AIRS image track is 1056 miles, the width of System 93W appears to be approximately 800 miles from west to east. The AIRS imagery showed an improved low-level circulation center and unorganized, but deep convection. Convection is rapidly rising air that forms the thunderstorms that power a tropical cyclone.

The strongest convection appeared around the center of System 93W's circulation where cloud-top temperatures were measured to be as cold as or colder than -63F/-52C. Cloud-top temperatures are important because they tell forecasters how high thunderstorms are, and the higher the thunderstorm, the colder the cloud tops and the more powerful the thunderstorms.

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System 95B-Northern Indian Ocean updates

The ragged low pressure area currently sits several hundred miles from Sri Lanka. The system appears to have fallen apart on infrared satellite imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite today.

On May 2 at 0654 UTC, NASA's Aqua satellite passed over the low pressure area called System 95B in the Northern Indian Ocean. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument that flies aboard Aqua, captured an infrared image of the low that showed a disorganized storm. Estimated sustained winds have dropped to 15 knots and the estimated minimum central pressure in the low is near 1010 millibars.

System 95B-Northern Indian Ocean

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite passed over System 95B from its orbit in space and captured an infrared image of the low pressure area on April 29 at 07:53 UTC. Infrared imagery acts like taking the temperature of the system's clouds - and there were some high, very cold clouds that indicated powerful convection and strong thunderstorms in the center. Some cloud top temperatures were as cold as or colder than -63F/-52C. Infrared imagery indicated that there was scattered convection around all sides of the low-level center, and even some curved banding of thunderstorms.

On April 29, System 95B was located about 420 nautical miles east-northeast of Colombo, Sri Lanka near 9.5 North and 96.5 East. System 95B is drifting and currently has estimated sustained surface winds between 15 and 20 knots. Despite the waters in the Bay of Bengal being warm enough to sustain the development of a tropical cyclone, there is a westerly wind field present.

System 91L-Atlantic Ocean

System 91L sparked the interest of forecasters because it had a small chance to develop into a subtropical or tropical storm last week. Now that chance is zero. On Saturday, April 23, 2011, the showers associated with System 91L diminished. At that time, the low was centered about 360 miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Wind shear had taken its toll on the low and weakened it . As a result, the National Hurricane Center issued their final notice about the system on Saturday.

Currently there are no tropical cyclones expected elsewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, and the official hurricane season doesn't start until June 1.

NASA's TRMM Satellite Estimates Australia's Cyclone Season Rainfall

NASA's TRMM satellite measures rainfall from space and data from it was used to create a map of total cyclone rainfall. The TRMM satellite is managed by both NASA and the Japanese Space Agency, JAXA.

At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite was used to create the cyclone rain maps. TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), data were used in an analysis to show rainfall contributed by tropical cyclones that have affected Australia in 2011. Hal Pierce of the NASA TRMM team created the image and included the tracks of tropical cyclones on the image.

"The largest tropical cyclone rainfall contribution was over the coast of northwestern Australia with estimated totals of over 600 millimeters (~23.6 inches)," Pierce said. "Cyclones Bianca, Carlos, Twenty, Errol and their remnants were close enough to the northwestern coast of Australia to add to these rainfall totals."

Tropical Low #1 -Atlantic

Hurricane season doesn't start in the Northern Atlantic Ocean until June 1, but a low pressure system in doesn't seem to want to follow the calendar. There's a low pressure area with a small chance for development north-northeast of Puerto Rico, and the GOES-13 satellite captured a visible image of the storm.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a Special Tropical Weather Outlook today, April 20, that noted the low pressure area was located about 460 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico at 3:35 p.m. EDT. The NHC noted that slow development is possible over next couple of days. The low is moving west -northwest at 10mph.

The image was created using satellite imagery was captured on April 20 at 17:45 UTC (1:45 p.m. EDT) from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-13). Although it is not easy to pick out the center of circulation in the image, it is located to the west of the largest area of clouds.

Tropical Storm Errol

NASA's Aqua Satellite Sees Weaker Tropical Depression Errol Crossing West Timor

NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Tropical Depression Errol's warming cloud temperatures as it was crossing the southern tip of West Timor today. West Timor is the western and Indonesian portion of the island of Timor. To the east lies the Timor Sea, to the west is the Southern Indian Ocean.

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image on April 18 at 04:53 UTC (12:53 a.m. EDT) that showed very little strong convection (rapidly rising air that forms thunderstorms) remained in Errol. The strongest areas of convection had cloud-top temperatures as cold as -63F/-52C. However, AIRS data shows that much of the cloud top temperatures in the depression have since warmed. Cloud-top temperatures are important because they tell forecasters how high thunderstorms are, and the higher the thunderstorm, the colder the cloud tops and the more powerful the thunderstorms. Warming cloud top temperatures mean lower cloud heights and indicate that the storm is growing weaker. It means that there's not as much power to lift the air up to create the thunderstorms that power it.

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Tropical Storm 97W - Northwest Pacific Ocean

Infrared data from NASA's Aqua satellite has seen potential in a developing tropical low pressure system near Brunei. Brunei is located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia.

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of the tropical low pressure area called "System 97W" on April 6 at 0611 UTC (2:11 a.m. EDT). Infrared data basically takes the temperature of atmospheric, land or oceanic objects. The infrared data revealed the coldest temperatures were in thunderstorm cloud tops around the center of System 97W's circulation. Those cloud tops were as cold as or colder than -63 degrees Fahrenheit (-52 Celsius) indicating strong convection (rapidly rising air that forms the thunderstorms that power a tropical cyclone). That's an indication that the storm is getting stronger. There is also a banding of thunderstorms around the low-level center of circulation.

AIRS data also showed that the sea surface temperatures were above 80F (26.7 C), which is the threshold for maintaining a tropical cyclone, so the water remains a power source for intensification. At 0600 UTC on April 6, 2011, System 97W was about 170 miles west-northwest of Brunei near 6.2 North and 112.4 East. Maximum sustained surface winds are estimated at 15 to 20 knots. Minimum sea level pressure is estimated to be near 1008 millibars.

Tropical Storm 2W -Northwest Pacific Ocean

The second tropical depression of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean season has formed, just as the first depression has dissipated. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of the depression and observed some strong thunderstorms within, and the storm has already caused warnings to be posted.

On April 5, 2011, Tropical Depression 2W formed about 270 miles (434 km) NW of Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, near 16.1 South and 141.1 East. It was moving east-northeast near 19 knots and had maximum sustained winds near 30 knots. The Northern Marianas are expected to feel the effects of the depression as it continues to move in that direction. A tropical storm warning is in force for Agriahan, Pagan and Alamagan Islands in the Northern Mariana Islands.

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Tropical Depression 2W on April 5 at 0353 UTC. It showed cold, high, strong thunderstorms around the center of circulation with heavy rainfall west of the Northern Marianas islands.

Tropical Depression that influences weather, sea conditions spotted near sabah

A tropical depression that influences weather and sea conditions has been spotted near Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The Meteorological Department of Malaysia said the tropical depression was located approximately 482km West-Northwest of Kudat, Sabah and 527km North-Northwest of Miri, Sarawak. The tropical depression is expected to track southeastwards at 4kmph. The department issued a heavy rain and thunderstorms advisory and warning on strong winds and rough seas. Intermittent rain occasionally heavy and windy conditions are expected over Sabah, Divisions of Interior (Kuala Penyu, Beaufort Districts), West Coast (Papar, Penampang, Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Kota Belud Districts) and Kudat Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas Districts) and Labuan from today and is expected to continue until Wednesday (April 6).

This condition may result in floods over low-lying areas and along river banks. Strong North/Northeasterly winds from 60kmph with waves reaching 5.5 metres occurring over the waters off Condore, Reef North and Layang-layang are expected to continue until Thursday (April 7). The condition is dangerous to all coastal and shipping activities, including workers on oil platforms said the statement.

Tropical Depression 91S-South Pacific

NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite spotted light to moderate rainfall in the system as continues tracking southwest and bringing rains and winds to the northern coast of Western Australia this weekend. System 91S was located in the Timor Sea, west-southwest of Darwin, Australia and was moving in a west-southwesterly direction. System 91S is forecast to continue traveling in that direction and its center is expected to remain at sea over the next several days as it heads toward the Southern Indian Ocean.

As it continues to track along coastal areas of the Northern Territory and Western Australia, cyclone warnings are in effect. A Cyclone Warning is in effect for Western Australian coastal and island areas from Kuri Bay to the Western Australia/Northern Territory border, including Kalumburu and Wyndham. In addition, a cyclone watch is in effect from Kuri Bay to Cape Leveque, not including Derby. The TRMM satellite, operated by both NASA and the Japanese Space Agency, passed over the system at 1451 UTC on April 1. The U.S. Navy and Naval Research Laboratory's Monterey Marine Meteorology Division, Calif. overlaid TRMM rainfall rate imagery on top of Japan's METSAT-2 infrared imagery to provide a complete picture of the low pressure areas cloud extent and rainfall rates. TRMM's precipitation radar instrument measured rainfall rates close to 1 inch (25 mm) per hour.

NASA Satellites Eyeing 4 Tropical Systems Around the World For Possible Development

NASA satellites are all keeping an eye on for possible development. They are Systems 90S, 91S and 99S in the Southern Pacific, and System 93B in the Northern Indian Ocean. Despite a poor chance for development in all of them, one has triggered warnings in northern Australia because of its proximity to land. NASA and the Japanese Space Agency manage the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission or TRMM satellite and TRMM passed over two of those four systems today. TRMM captured light to moderate rainfall in the low pressure area called “System 90S” on March 30 at 01:49 UTC. Rainfall rates were between 5 and 20 millimeters (0.2 and 0.8 inches) per hour within the storm. System 90S is located 500 miles north-northwest of Port Hedland, Australia, near 12.0 South latitude and 116.0 East longitude.

Infrared satellite imagery from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite revealed that the low has consolidated during the morning hours, while the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-E instrument showed deep convection on the north and south sides of the center of circulation. Despite these developments atmospheric dynamics are not currently favorable, so the Joint Typhoon Warning Center currently gives this low a poor chance for development. The second tropical low pressure area NASA satellites are watching is also 500 miles away from land, and that’s System 99S. System 99S is 500 miles north of the Cocos Islands today, near 9.8 South and 99.4 East. The TRMM satellite measured rainfall rates between 5 and 20 millimeters (0.2 and 0.8 inches) per hour within the System 99S early today. The AIRS infrared imagery captured from NASA’s Aqua satellite shows that areas of deep convection exist on all sides of the low pressure center, but it’s not uniform. Vertical wind shear is currently light and sea surface temperatures are warm enough to support development, however, the chance that it will develop into a tropical storm in the next 24 hours is poor. As the week progresses, perhaps the chance will improve with the environmental conditions.

The third tropical low pressure area isn’t a tropical storm but it has triggered a watch for Australia’s Northern Territories. Because of System 91S’ location, about 200 miles northeast of Darwin, Australia (near 10.0 South and 133.1 East), a tropical cyclone Watch has been issued for the coastal communities between Cape Hotham, Port Keats, including Darwin and the Tiwi Islands. The Tiwi Islands include Melville and Bathurst Islands and are part of Australia’s Northern Territory, 25 miles (40 km) north of Darwin where the Arafura Sea joins the Timor Sea. In addition, a Strong Wind Warning has been issued from Milingimbi to Troughton Island.

Tropical Cyclone Cherono

Tropical Cyclone Cherono and saw some heavy rain still existing in the storm as it dissipates.

The TRMM satellite passed directly above the remnants of tropical cyclone Cherono in the South Indian Ocean on March 22, 2011 at 0225 UTC (March 21 at 10:25 p.m. EDT). TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) showed that Cherono, although weakened, still had some life and was producing very heavy rainfall of over 50 mm/hr (~2 inches) south-southeast of Reunion Island.

The image of Cherono's rainfall was created by Hal Pierce of the TRMM team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Rain rates in the center of the image swath are from the TRMM PR, the only spaceborne radar of its kind, while those in the outer portion are from the TMI. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared (IR) data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS).

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System 98S (Southern Indian Ocean)

System 98S has been battered with wind shear over the last couple of days and is still holding together as a tropical depression. Infrared satellite imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite revealed an area of strong convection and thunderstorms around the low pressure area's center yesterday, indicating that the low is maintaining strength even in adverse conditions.

On March 16, System 98S was located about 615 nautical miles southeast of Diego Garcia, near 14.2 South latitude and 80.3 East longitude in the Southern Indian Ocean. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite has been capturing imagery of the low pressure area and today showed that the low level circulation center east of the main area of convection is partially exposed to outside winds.

AIRS infrared imagery also showed that convection had begun flaring or increasing on the western side of the circulation center during the morning hours, indicating strengthening. Flaring convection means the creation of more towering thunderstorms. Thunderstorms power a tropical cyclone. There was also an indication in microwave satellite imagery that thunderstorms were wrapping around the low level center.