NASA - EOS Terra Mission patch / NOAA & NASA - Suomi NPP Mission patch.
August 24, 2020
Hurricanes Laura & Marco – Atlantic Ocean
Aug. 23, 2020 – NASA Infrared Imagery Shows Tropical Storm Laura Soaking Hispaniola
Very powerful storms with heavy rainmaking capability reach high into the atmosphere and those have very cold cloud top temperatures. Infrared imagery from NASA’s Terra satellite measures those temperatures and found those kind of powerful storms in Tropical Storm Laura drenching Hispaniola.
Image above: On Aug. 22 at 11 p.m. EDT (Aug. 23 at 0300 UTC) the MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA’s Terra satellite revealed the most powerful thunderstorms (yellow) surrounded Laura’s center where cloud top temperatures were as cold as or colder than minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 62.2 Celsius). Strong storms with cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 70 degrees (red) Fahrenheit (minus 56.6. degrees Celsius) surrounded those areas and blanketed Hispaniola and were dropping large amounts of rain. Image Credits: NASA/NRL.
Warnings and Watches on Sunday, August 23, 2020
NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued many warnings and watches on Sunday, Aug. 23.
Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the northern coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the border with Haiti; the southern coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to Punta Palenque; the northern coast of Haiti from Le Mole St. Nicholas to the border with the Dominican Republic; the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands; and the Cuban provinces of Camaguey, Las Tunas, Holguin, Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Ciego De Avila, Sancti Spiritus, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, Mayabeque, La Habana, and Artemisa.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the central Bahamas, Andros Island, the Florida Keys from Ocean Reef to Key West and the Dry Tortugas, Florida Bay and the Cuban province of Pinar Del Rio.
NASA’s Infrared Data Reveals Heavy Rainmakers
Tropical cyclones are made of up hundreds of thunderstorms, and infrared data can show where the strongest storms are located using infrared data which provides temperature information. The strongest thunderstorms that reach highest into the atmosphere have the coldest cloud top temperatures.
On Aug. 22 at 11 p.m. EDT (Aug. 23 at 0300 UTC), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA’s Terra satellite used infrared light to analyze the strength of storms within Laura. MODIS found the most powerful thunderstorms surrounded Laura’s center, where cloud top temperatures were as cold as or colder than minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 62.2 Celsius). NASA research has found that cloud top temperatures that cold indicate strong storms with the potential to generate heavy rainfall.
EOS Terra satellite. Image Credit. NASA
Strong storms with cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.6. degrees Celsius) surrounded those areas and blanketed Hispaniola. They were also dropping large amounts of rain.
The 8 a.m. EDT NHC Forecast Discussion on Laura noted, “Laura has maintained an impressive convective pattern despite the center being located over extreme south-central Dominican Republic. Numerous cloud tops of minus 85 to 90 degrees Celsius have been noted over the Barahona peninsula, an indication that extremely heavy rainfall has been occurring there.”
Forecasters at NOAA’s NHC use NASA’s infrared data in their forecast. One of the key messages on Laura is about its rainfall potential. NHC noted at 8 a.m. EDT Laura continued “bringing torrential rainfall and life-threatening flooding to the Dominican Republic and Haiti (Hispaniola).”
Laura’s Status on July 26, 2020
At 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Laura was located near latitude 19.1 degrees north and longitude 72.1 degrees west. That is about 40 miles (65 km) north-northeast of Port Au Prince, Haiti.
Laura is moving toward the west-northwest near 18 mph (30 kph), and this general motion is expected over the next few days. Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph (75 kph) with higher gusts. No significant change in strength is forecast during the next 36 to 48 hours while Laura moves over or near Hispaniola and Cuba. The estimated minimum central pressure based on nearby surface observations is 1005 millibars.
Laura’s Forecast from NHC
On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move across Hispaniola this morning, be near or over Cuba tonight and Monday, and over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico Monday night and Tuesday. Strengthening is forecast once Laura moves into the Gulf of Mexico Monday night and Tuesday.
NASA researches these storms to determine how they rapidly intensify, develop and behave.
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.
For updated forecasts and additional information on rainfall, winds, storm surge, visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
NASA’s Terra satellite: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/terra/index.html
Aug. 23, 2020 – NASA-NOAA Satellite Finds Marco Nearing Hurricane Strength in the Southern Gulf
NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite passed over Tropical Storm Marco early on Sunday, Aug. 23 and found the storm was nearing hurricane strength in the southern Gulf of Mexico.
Image above: NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite passed over Tropical Storm Marco now in the southern Gulf of Mexico. The VIIRS instrument aboard captured this image of the storm on Aug. 23 at 3:24 a.m. EDT (0724 UTC). There were several areas (yellow) within where cloud top temperatures were as cold as minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 62.2 Celsius), indicating powerful storms. Image Credits: NASA/NRL.
Warnings and Watches in Effect as of Sunday, August 23, 2020
NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Fla. issued numerous watches and warnings along the Gulf Coast of the U.S. as Marco is forecast to move in that direction. A Storm Surge Warning is in effect from Morgan City, Louisiana to Ocean Springs, Mississippi including Lake Borgne. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Morgan City Louisiana to the mouth of the Pearl River.
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for Sabine Pass to Morgan City, Louisiana; Ocean Springs to the Alabama/Florida border; Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Mobile Bay.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect from Intracoastal City, Louisiana to west of Morgan City; Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Metropolitan New Orleans.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from the mouth of the Pearl River to the Mississippi /Alabama border; Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Metropolitan New Orleans. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from the Mississippi/Alabama border to the Alabama/Florida border.
Taking Marco’s Temperature
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard Suomi NPP provided an infrared image of the storm on Aug. 23 at 3:24 a.m. EDT (0724 UTC). Infrared imagery reveals cloud top temperatures, and the higher the cloud top the colder it is and the stronger the storm.
Suomi NPP satellite. Image Credits: NOAA/NASA
The VIIRS instrument found several areas within where cloud top temperatures were as cold as minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 62.2 Celsius), indicating powerful storms. Marco continued to strengthen and consolidate. The most powerful thunderstorms were located around the center of circulation and in a fragmented band of thunderstorms. Storms with cloud tops that cold have been found to generate heavy rainfall.
At 4 a.m. EDT, NOAA’s National Hurricane Center noted, “Thunderstorm bursts continue to fire near the center of Marco, and then weaken an hour or two later due to persistent [vertical wind] shear. Overall, the storm’s appearance hasn’t changed with nearly all of the deep convection very near or northeast of the center.”
Marco’s Status on Sunday, August 23, 2020
At 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC) on Aug. 23, the center of Tropical Storm Marco was located near latitude 24.2 degrees north and longitude 87.1 degrees west. That is 210 miles (340 km) northwest of the western tip of Cuba, and about 360 miles (580 km) south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Marco is moving toward the north-northwest near 13 mph (20 kph). Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph (110 kph) with higher gusts. The estimated minimum central pressure based on data from the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is 994 millibars.
NHC Key Messages on Marco
Hurricane conditions, life-threatening storm surge, and heavy rainfall are expected from Marco along portions of the Gulf Coast beginning on Monday, and Hurricane and Storm Surge Warnings have been issued.
In addition, Tropical Storm Laura could bring additional storm surge, rainfall, and wind impacts to portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast by the middle of next week. This could result in a prolonged period of hazardous weather for areas that may also be affected by Marco.
Marco’s Forecast
NHC hurricane forecaster Eric Blake noted, “The intensity forecast remains tricky with Marco due to its small size and marginal environment. There are some models that briefly relax the shear today, which will likely be enough of a change to allow Marco to reach hurricane strength.”
Marco is forecast to continue moving north-northwestward across the central Gulf of Mexico today and will approach southeastern Louisiana on Monday. Some strengthening is anticipated and Marco is forecast to become a hurricane later today and be at hurricane strength when it approaches the northern Gulf Coast on Monday. A gradual turn toward the west with a decrease in forward speed is expected after Marco moves inland on Monday and on Tuesday.
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.
For updated forecasts and details about storm surge, rainfall and winds, visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NPP/main/index.html
Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/GSFC/Rob Gutro/Lynn Jenner.
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