Tropical Depression Alex in Atlantic Ocean

Forecasters on June 25 had given System 93L in the western Caribbean an 80 percent chance of developing into Tropical Depression Alex, and weekends seem to always birth tropical depressions. The GOES-13 satellite captured a visible image of both System 93L and a second low east of the Leeward Islands that has a much lesser chance of development this weekend.

System 93L has become better organized today and upper-level winds are becoming more conducive for development, so tropical depression Alex will likely form later today or Saturday.

Celia Now Category Three Hurricane

Tropically speaking Celia is in the Major Leagues. She’s now a Category Three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale and classified as the Eastern Pacific’s first major hurricane. That’s quite a “batting average” for also being that season’s first hurricane. The other storms that formed before her in the Eastern Pacific didn’t make it to hurricane status.

Both Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, GOES-11 (west) and GOES-13 (east) captured visible images of Hurricane Celia and Tropical Storm Darby in the Eastern Pacific on June 23, and Celia’s eye was visible in them.

At 8 a.m. PDT (11 a.m. EDT) on June 24, Hurricane Celia’s maximum sustained winds were near 115 mph (185 km/hr) with higher gusts. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 km).

Tropical Storm Darby Form Quickly

The fifth tropical depression of the Eastern Pacific Ocean hurricane season developed and quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Darby during the early morning hours of June 23. NASA's Aqua satellite captured a large area of strong convection that indicated that speedy strengthening.

Darby formed off the western Mexico coast south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. At 5 p.m. EDT on June 22 Darby was located about 540 miles south-southeast of Salina Cruz, Mexico. That's near 11.5 North and 94.0 West.

Darby's maximum sustained winds had increased to 40 mph with higher gusts by 5 a.m. EDT on June 23. Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 50 miles to the west of the center. Additional strengthening is also expected in the next 48 hours. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 millibars.

Tropical Depression Celia

At 5 a.m. EDT on June 22, Hurricane Celia had maximum sustained winds near 105 miles per hour. That makes Celia a category two storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale. National Hurricane Center forecasters noted that Celia could become a major hurricane (Category Three) in the next two days.

Celia's hurricane force winds extend outward up to 25 miles (35 km) from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 90 miles (150 km).

Celia's center was located near 11.8 North latitude and 104.7 West longitude. That's about 500 miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico. Celia is moving toward the west near 8 mph (13 km/hr) and this general motion is expected to continue for the next 48 hours. Celia's estimated minimum central pressure is 970 millibars.

Infrared imagery from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-11, did not see an eye this morning (June 22) although images from a polar orbiting satellite did see a small eye just after 0000 UTC (8 p.m. EDT) on June 21.

Tropical Depression Blas

At 11 a.m. EDT (8 a.m. PDT) on June 17, the third tropical depression of the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season was born. By 11:40 a.m. EDT (8:40 a.m. PDT) Tropical Depression 3-E (TD3-E) had strengthened into Tropical Storm Blas with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph and is expected to strengthen more over the next 48 hours.

It is currently located about 265 miles (425 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, near 15.3 North latitude and 105.3 West longitude. It is moving northeast near 2 mph (4 km/hr) and is expected to turn to the west-northwest. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 millibars. There are no coastal warnings in effect for this tropical storm.

Tropical Depression 2E

The second tropical depression of the Eastern Pacific Ocean hurricane season formed close to the western Mexican coast this morning, and the third tropical depression may develop in the next day or two.

Tropical Depression 2-E (TD 2-E) formed at 8:30 a.m. PDT (11:30 a.m. EDT) today, June 16. It is located near 14.8 North and 95.6 West, or about 100 miles (160 km) south-southwest of Salina Cruz, Mexico and 225 miles (360 km) east-southeast of Punto Maldonado, Mexico. Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph and the TD 2-E appears stationary but is expected to move in a slow west-northwestward motion later today. TD 2-E will track very close to the coast of Mexico in the next day or two. TD 2-E's minimum central pressure is 1007 millibars.

System 92L

on June 14 at 04:29 UTC (12:29 a.m. EDT). There are some high, cold thunderstorms (purple -74F/-58C/215 Kelvin) in some of the areas of convection (blue)/clouds. The deep orange false-color of the ocean surface is about 80F (300 Kelvin), warm enough to support tropical cyclone development.

Tropical Depression 7E

Tropical Depression 7E (TD7E) formed at 11 p.m. EDT on August 5 and by 11 a.m. EDT on August 6, it was located about 165 miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico. That's near 16.6 North and 104.0 West. It continues to bring heavy rainfall and gusty winds to coastal areas in southwestern Mexico, and between 3 to 5 inches of rainfall is expected before TD7E moves farther away from land. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph, and TD7E's minimum central pressure is near 1004 millibars. It is moving to the west-northwest near 10 mph.

Tropical Depression Phet Now Inland Over Pakistan and India

areas of rainfall from Phet's remnants (blue) over inland Pakistan and India's Rajasthan desert area (far right) on June 7 at 8:41 UTC (4:41 a.m. EDT).

Tropical Cyclone Phet made its second and final landfall on Sunday, June 6 along coastal Pakistan bringing heavy rainfall, floods, and damages. By June 7, NASA satellite imagery confirmed that the remnants of Phet were still raining over inland areas of Pakistan and India.

Cyclone Phet now Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale

At 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT) today, June 3, Cyclone Phet (a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale) was located about 275 nautical miles south of Muscat, Oman, near 19.2 North and 59.3 East. Phet's maximum sustained winds were near 115 knots (132 mph) with gusts to 140 knots (161 mph). Phet has moved on a north-northwestward track at 4 knots (5 mph).

Cyclone Phet on June 3 at 08:59 UTC (4:59 a.m. EDT) in which the western half of the storm was already on top of coastal Oman. It showed a large area of strong thunderstorms with high, cold cloud tops as cold as -63 Fahrenheit.

Phet is in an area of low vertical wind shear. Vertical wind shear means winds blowing at different directions at different levels in the atmosphere that can tear a storm apart. When vertical wind shear is strong, it weakens tropical cyclones. When wind shear is weak, it allows tropical cyclones to maintain or increase intensity.

Tropical Storm Phet

Tropical Cyclone Phet Intensifies, Coastal Oman Bracing for Strong Winds, Heavy Rains

Phet at 06:55 UTC (2:55 a.m. EDT or 6:55 p.m. local time/Pakistan) on June 2, and indicated the eye is about 12 kilometers (7 miles) in diameter.

Tropical storm Phet intensified over the last 24 hours and has grown into a full-blown and powerful cyclone. NASA's Terra satellite imagery of the storm from earlier today also revealed an eye in the storm, confirming the intensification. Residents of coastal Oman are bracing for strong winds, heavy rainfall and rough surf today and tomorrow.

Tropical Cyclone Phet had maximum sustained winds near 110 knots (126 mph) with gusts to 135 knots (155 mph). It is now considered a major cyclone (equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale). It is about 560 miles southwest of Karachi, Pakistan, near 17.7 North and 60.6 East. It is moving to the northwest near 5 knots (6 mph). Cyclone-force winds extend to 35 miles from the storm's center, while tropical-storm force winds extend as far as 75 miles from the center. It is creating very rough seas on the Arabian Sea with waves as high as 18 feet.

Tropical Depression Agatha

Agatha Drenches Guatemala and El Salvador, Remnants Now in Caribbean

Tropical Storm Agatha was the first tropical storm of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season, and took an inland route, drenching El Salvador and Guatemala this past weekend.

By Tuesday, June 1, Agatha's remnants had moved into the northwestern Caribbean Sea east of the Yucatan peninsula. Environmental conditions in the area, however, likely won't permit Agatha to reform into a tropical cyclone.

Over the weekend, by Sunday, May 30, Tropical Storm Agatha had already moved inland and its heavy rains left more than 100 people dead in Guatemala and El Salvador. Those rains caused flash floods and mudslides. After Agatha made landfall, the storm had been downgraded to a tropical depression.