NASA satellites see Tropical Storm Neki form in the Central Pacific

October 19, 2009
NASA satellites see Tropical Storm Neki form in the Central Pacific

Enlarge

NASA's QuikScat instrument captured an inside look at Tropical Storm Neki's winds on Oct. 19 at 0425 UTC (12:25 a.m. EDT) using microwave technology from space. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. The highest wind speeds, are shown in purple, which indicate winds over 40 knots (46 mph). Credit: NASA JPL, Peter Falcon

Tropical Storm Neki formed today about 830 miles southeast of Johnston Island in the Central Pacific Ocean. NASA's QuikScat and Aqua satellites quickly captured and analyzed winds and temperatures in Neki, enabling forecasters to see the storm strengthening.

Today, October 19, at 11 a.m. EDT (5 a.m. HST) Neki had near 40 mph, and was moving west-northwest near 14 mph. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 millibars. It was 825 miles south of Honolulu, Hawaii and about 830 miles southeast of Johnston Island near latitude 9.5 North and longitude 159.6 West. Neki is expected to shift slowly toward the northwest later tonight or Tuesday, at which time it is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane.

2 NASA satellites see Tropical Storm Neki form in the Central Pacific
Enlarge

NASA's Aqua satellite captured this visible image of Tropical Storm Neki on October 19 at 00:11 UTC in the Central Pacific Ocean. Credit: NASA JPL, Ed Olsen

NASA's QuikScat instrument captured an inside look at Neki's surface winds using microwave technology from its vantage point in space on Oct. 19 at 0425 UTC (12:25 a.m. EDT). showed highest wind speeds near 40 mph.

NASA's Aqua satellite also flew above Neki and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument captured a visible, infrared and microwave image of the storm. The visible image showed a storm getting organized and developing the signature tropical storm shape. The infrared and microwave images confirmed some high thunderstorms, indicating some strong convection and a strengthening storm.

Neki is forecast to pass very close to Johnston Island on Wednesday, October 21 as a hurricane.

Source: JPL/NASA (news : web)


Rank not rated yet
Tags

microwave image, quikscat, tropical storm, maximum sustained winds, pacific ocean, surface winds
Related Stories
more news
Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • Discrepancy between oxygen and carbon-dioxide levels
    createdFeb 09, 2012
  • where gems are found in the world
    createdFeb 09, 2012
  • Wind Waves in Reservoir ~ Wind run-up and Wind set-up
    createdFeb 08, 2012
  • Balance of oxygen in the atmosphere
    createdFeb 01, 2012
  • The case for a methanol-based economy
    createdJan 30, 2012
  • Weather in a rotating cylinder
    createdJan 25, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - Earth

More news stories

Humans may have helped the decline of African rainforests 3000 years ago

(PhysOrg.com) -- Large areas of rainforests in Central Africa mysteriously disappeared over three thousand years ago, to be replaced by savannas. The prevailing theory has been that the cause was a change ...

Space & Earth / Environment

created 18 hours ago | popularity 4.3 / 5 (11) | comments 12 | with audio podcast report

Could Venus be shifting gear?

(PhysOrg.com) -- ESA’s Venus Express spacecraft has discovered that our cloud-covered neighbour spins a little slower than previously measured. Peering through the dense atmosphere in the infrared, the ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created 14 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (7) | comments 7 | with audio podcast

NASA budget will axe Mars deal with Europe: scientists

US President Barack Obama's budget proposal to be submitted next week for 2013 will cut NASA's budget by 20 percent and eliminate a major partnership with Europe on Mars exploration, scientists said Thursday.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created 17 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 18

Mars Science Laboratory computer issue resolved

(PhysOrg.com) -- Engineers have found the root cause of a computer reset that occurred two months ago on NASA's Mars Science Laboratory and have determined how to correct it.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created 15 hours ago | popularity 4.7 / 5 (6) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

NASA sees wide-eyed cyclone Jasmine

Cyclone Jasmine's eye has opened wider on NASA satellite imagery, as it moves through the Southern Pacific Ocean.

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created 6 hours ago | popularity 3.5 / 5 (2) | comments 1


Google users warned of threat to smartphone wallets

Users of Google smartphone wallets were being warned on Friday that there is a way to crack pass codes intended to thwart thieves from going on illicit shopping sprees.

Anonymous knocks CIA website offline (Update)

The website of the Central Intelligence Agency was inaccessible on Friday after the hacker group Anonymous claimed to have knocked it offline.

New error-correcting codes guarantee the fastest possible rate of data transmission

Error-correcting codes are one of the triumphs of the digital age. They’re a way of encoding information so that it can be transmitted across a communication channel — such as an optical fiber o ...

Complex wiring of the nervous system may rely on a just a handful of genes and proteins

Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered a startling feature of early brain development that helps to explain how complex neuron wiring patterns are programmed using just a handful of critical genes. ...

New power source discovered

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and RMIT University have made a breakthrough in energy storage and power generation.

The power of estrogen -- male snakes attract other males

A new study has shown that boosting the estrogen levels of male garter snakes causes them to secrete the same pheromones that females use to attract suitors, and turned the males into just about the sexiest ...