Tropical Cyclone Paul's Low Headed Back to Gulf of Carpentaria

The yellow and green areas indicate moderate rainfall between .78 to 1.57 inches per hour. The few red areas represent heavy rainfall at almost 2 inches per hour, and all of them are over the Gulf of Carpentaria.

At 3:30 p.m. CST (02:00 UTC) on March 31, Paul was over land, and about 12 miles (20 kilometers) west of Numbulwar and 65 miles (105 kilometers) west southwest of Alyangula, near 14.3 degrees South and 135.5 degrees East. Paul's center was moving southeast at 6 mph (10 km/hr) per hour. Wind gusts near the low's center have been reported at 52 mph (85 km/hr).

Tropical Cyclone Paul (Southern Pacific Ocean)

The center is bordered by a band of moderate rain to the northwest (green arc along the coast) and surrounded by outer rain bands that spiral inwards to the south and east (blue and green arcs indicating light to moderate rain, respectively). Embedded within the rainbands are occasional areas of heavy rain (red areas).


This 3-D perspective of Paul at 9:08 UTC . The most prominent feature is a deep convective tower (shown in red), which penetrates up to 9 miles (15 km) high. This corresponds with an area of intense rain in the northwestern eyewall.

Tropical Storm Paul

Warnings Up Tropical Storm Paul in Australia's Northern Territory

Paul formed as "tropical cyclone 22P" late in the day (EDT) on March 27, about 340 miles east of Darwin, Australia, near 12.9 South and 136.6 East. By March 28, cyclone 22P had intensified and been renamed Tropical Storm Paul.

Tropical Storm Imani Southern Indian Ocean

On March 26, NASA’s Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Imani at 0836 UTC and showed that the northern half of the tropical cyclone contained very scattered thunderstorms which is conducive to strong wind shear in that quadrant of the storm.

Imani was still hanging onto tropical storm status on March 26 at 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT) with maximum sustained winds near 52 mph (45 knots), but the storm is running into vertical wind shear – basically a tropical cyclone killer. Imani was located about 810 nautical miles southwest of the Cocos Islands, near 21.3 South and 86.4 East. It was slugging southward at 3 mph (2 knots).

Tropical Storm Omais is fading fast in the northwestern Pacific Ocean

Tropical Storm Omais is fading fast in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, and will dissipate over the weekend according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. When NASA’s Aqua satellite flew over Omais late on March 25, it already showed signs of falling apart.

At 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT)on Friday, March 26, Tropical Storm Omais was barely hanging onto tropical storm strength with maximum sustained winds near 39 mph. It was located about 655 nautical miles southwest of the island of Iwo To (formerly Iwo Jima) near 18.3 North and 132.1 East. It was moving north-northeastward at 12 mph (11 knots) and quickly losing its tropical characteristics.

Tropical Storm Omais

Tropical Storm Omais Weakens and Doubles in Size

Tropical storm Omais has run into wind shear in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, but as it has weakened overnight it has also doubled in size. NASA's Aqua satellite has captured both infrared and visible images early this morning of the larger Omais.

Late yesterday, March 24, Omais strengthened to (63 mph) 55 knots and now that it has run into an environment with stronger wind shear, it has already weakened. The wind shear has increased because of the approach of a frontal system which is currently about 215 nautical miles northwest of the storm.

Tropical Storm Imani in the Southern Indian Ocean

Tropical Storm Imani Making a Question Mark in the Southern Indian Ocean

Over the last week, the path that Tropical Storm Imani, formerly tropical cyclone 21S, is making in the Southern Indian Ocean resembles a question mark. However, there is no question in the minds of forecasters that Imani is headed south to finish out the "question mark" shape.At 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT) today, March 24, Tropical Storm Imani had maximum sustained winds near 63 mph (55 knots). Tropical storm-force winds extended out up to 55 miles from the center, making the storm about 110 miles in diameter. It was located about 745 miles west-southwest of Cocos Island, near 15.7 south and 86.3 East. It was moving southwest near 13 mph (11 knots).

Tropical Storm 21S

At 900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT) today, March 23, Tropical Cyclone 21S was located about 505 miles west of Cocos Island near 12.9 degrees South latitude and 88.3 degrees East longitude.

Tropical Storm 21S has maximum sustained winds near 46 mph (40 knots) and tropical storm-force winds extend out to about 45 miles from the center. Today’s NASA Aqua satellite visible image confirmed that 21S is a compact storm, about 90 miles in diameter.

Tropical Depression 02W Forms in Northwestern Pacific

When NASA's Aqua satellite flew over TD 02W this morning, Monday, March 22 at 0405 UTC (12:05 a.m. EDT), infrared imagery showed a large area of strong convection in the storm's center, where thunderstorm cloud tops were highest. Those cloud top temperatures were colder than -63 degrees Fahrenheit, indicating strong thunderstorms with moderate to heavy rainfall.

By 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC or 1 a.m. local time) today, TD 02W had maximum sustained winds near 35 mph (30 knots) and was near 8.4 degrees North latitude and 141.4 degrees East longitude. TD 02W is about 100 miles southeast of Fais, 150 miles east-southeast of Ulithi and 235 miles east-southeast of Yap. It was moving northwest near 10 mph (9 knots), and generating 10-foot high waves.

Queensland, Australia Now Expecting a Landfall from Cyclone Ului

Northeastern Queensland, Australia is on alert as Tropical Cyclone Ului continues tracking through the Coral Sea today, and is forecast to make a landfall on March 20. NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites have been providing satellite data on the storm to assist forecasters.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has issued a Tropical Cyclone Watch from Cardwell to Yeppoon in Queensland. There is also a High seas weather warning in effect for "metarea 10." Ocean vessels can expect very high seas and have been asked to report conditions to the Bureau. Meanwhile the Solomon Islands have also posted a Tropical Cyclone Watch for Rennell/Bellona.

On Thursday, March 18 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT), Tropical Cyclone Ului had maximum sustained winds near 92 mph (80 knots). The storm is about 300 miles in diameter. Tropical storm force winds extend about 155 miles from Ului's center, while hurricane force winds extend 45 miles out from the center. Ului was located about 670 nautical miles east of Cairns, Australia near near 15.9 South and 157.4 East. It has been crawling at 3 mph (2 knots) in a southwestward direction.

Tropical Storm Tomas Moving Away from Fiji Islands

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite, also known as "TRMM" passed over powerful tropical cyclone Tomas near the International Dateline in the South Pacific on March 15 at 2123 UTC (5:23 p.m. EDT). TRMM detected very heavy rainfall of over 50 mm/hr (~2 inches) mainly in Tomas' southeastern quadrant.

Cyclone Tomas hit the north and east areas of Fiji as a Category 4 Cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, and has now moved south of them. NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite captured an image of the heavy rains that were falling in Tomas during his swath of destruction in the Fiji Islands.

Tropical Storm Ului (South Pacific Atlantic)

Solomon Islands Under Warnings for Category 4 Cyclone Ului

There are two powerful cyclones in the Southern Pacific Ocean this week, Tomas and Ului. Ului is a Category Four Cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Scale and is affecting the Solomon Islands where warnings and watches have been posted today, March 15. NASA satellite data has confirmed that Ului is a strong cyclone with a wide reach.

Tropical cyclone warnings in the Solomon Islands are in effect for Rennell and Bellona, A tropical cyclone watch is in effect for the provinces of Guadalcanal, Makira, Central, Western, Malaita, Isabel and Choiseul, in addition to the Shortland Islands.

Tropical Storm Tomas (Southern Pacific)

Tropical Storm Tomas Approaching Nadi This Weekend


Tropical Storm Tomas is on a southern track in the South Pacific Ocean, and residents of Nadi, Fiji will be watching it as it approaches the eastern side of the island late this weekend. A tropical cyclone alert is in effect for all of Fiji this weekend.

Nadi is located on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu, Fiji. Fiji Standard Time is 17 hours later than Eastern Standard Time.

NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Tomas from space and captured in infrared image from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument. The AIRS image on March 11 at 20:10 UTC (3:10 p.m. ET) showed a developing storm with a large cluster of high, cold (purple), strong thunderstorms around Tomas' center.

Tropical Storm Tomas had maximum sustained winds near 57 mph (50 knots) and it was located near 11.6 degrees South and 177.6 degrees West. Tropical storm force winds extend about 150 nautical miles from the center of the storm, making Tomas about 300 miles wide in diameter.

Tropical Storm Hubert (Southern Indian Ocean)

Hubert has maximum sustained winds near 39 mph (35 knots) and is moving west-southwest near 6 mph (5 knots). At 10 a.m. ET (1500 UTC) on March 10, Hubert was located about 160 nautical miles southeast of the capital city of Antananarivo, Madagascar near 20.9 South and 48.8 East.

As Hubert continues moving inland over the next two days, forecasts for the capital city and other areas in south central Madagascar will continue to experience periods of moderate to heavy rainfall, and gusty winds.

Tropical Cyclone 90S

Tropical Cyclone Formation Likely Near Madagascar

On March 9 the low, currently named "90S" is located near 20.1 South latitude and 50.8 East longitude is approximately 225 nautical miles east-southeast of the capital city of Antananarivo (which is located 145 miles inland from the east coast). The low's winds are estimated to be between 28- 34 mph (25 to 30 knots). The system is moving south-southeastward at 5 mph (4 knots). Minimum sea level pressure is estimated to be near 1000 millibars.

dust blowing off the Saharan Desert toward the Canary Islands.

Each summer, sandstorms lift millions of tons of dust from the Sahara, carrying plumes of it off the West Coast of Africa and over the Atlantic Ocean.

Tropical Storm Sarah (Southern Pacific)

Tropical Storm Sarah's winds peaked around 39 mph (35 knots) on Saturday, February 27. Thirty-nine mph is the lowest maximum sustained wind speed a cyclone can have to be classified as a tropical storm. At 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued its final warning on the system.

It was about 555 miles east-southeast of Pago Pago, American Samoa at that time, near 17.4 South latitude and 162.5 East longitude. Sarah/17P was still moving at the slow pace it maintained the previous week, at 4 mph (3 knots).