Gulf Oil Spill

On April 29, the MODIS image on the Terra satellite captured a wide-view natural-color image of the oil slick (outlined in white) just off the Louisiana coast. The oil slick appears as dull gray interlocking comma shapes, one opaque and the other nearly transparent. Sunglint -- the mirror-like reflection of the sun off the water -- enhances the oil slick’s visibility. The northwestern tip of the oil slick almost touches the Mississippi Delta.

System 90W Losing Its Punch

System 90W on April 29 at 05:11 UTC (1:11 a.m. EDT) and noticed that the storm's center of circulation is now undefined. Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center estimate that storm's "center" is located near 10.9 North and 116.3 East, about 355 nautical miles southwest of Manila, Philippines.

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder known as the AIRS instrument on the Aqua satellite showed deepening convection (rapidly rising air that forms clouds and thunderstorms) as the system moved closer to a mid-latitude trough (elongated area of low pressure). But that deepening or strengthening of convection is expected to be short lived because of the increasing winds battering the system.

The potential for System 90W to develop into a tropical cyclone has now dropped from "Fair" to "Poor" in the next 24 hours.

System 90W (Northwestern Pacific Ocean)

System 90W is already bringing rains to the cities of Narra (a municipality) and Brooke's Point (a first class municipality) in the province of Palawan, Philippines. Even Puerto Princesa City, a first class city and the capital of Palawan, is reporting rainfall from System 90W today.

System 90W's circulation center was near 8.9 North latitude and 120.2 West longitude over the Sulu Sea in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. Maximum sustained surface winds are estimated at 15 to 20 knots (17-23 mph).

Cyclone 24S Now All Grown Up and Renamed "Tropical Storm Sean"

On Friday, April 23 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) Tropical Storm Sean had maximum sustained winds near 45 knots (52 mph). It was about 475 nautical miles north of Learmonth, Australia, near 14.4 South and 113.3 East. It was moving southeast at 4 knots (5 mph).

91S Becomes Tropical Cyclone 24S

Tropical Storm 24S on April 22 at 0708 UTC (3:08 a.m. EDT) showed areas of light to moderate rainfall. The yellow and green areas indicate moderate rainfall between .78 to 1.57 inches per hour.

System 91 Looking Good for Tropical Cyclone Development

System 91S has shown increasing organization of its low-level circulation center over the last 12 hours, and favorable conditions for development. The vertical wind shear (winds that can tear a storm apart if strong enough) has decreased, so the potential for 91S to develop into a tropical cyclone is good in the next 24 hours.

At 08:30 UTC (4:30 a.m. EDT) the circulation center of 91S appeared to be near 10.1 degrees South latitude and 116.4 East longitude, and had maximum sustained winds near 30 knots (33 mph). 91S was moving west-southwest near 3 knots (4 mph) and it is currently about 630 nautical miles north-northwest of Port Hedland, Australia.

The ash plume (brown) drifting south and east from Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland

the ash plume from Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano this morning, April 20, as it flew overhead from its vantage point in space.

The ash plume (consisting of fine particles of pulverized rock) at 11:55 UTC (7:55 a.m. EDT). The plume appeared to be lighter in color than the previous few days, and it was drifting south and east over the Northern Atlantic Ocean.