NASA Catches Two Tropical Troublemakers in Northwestern Pacific: Halong and 96W

NASA's Aqua satellite flew over both developing System 96W (left) and Tropical Storm Halong (right) on July 30 and had powerful thunderstorms with cloud top temperatures as cold as -63F/-52C. Image Credit: NASA JPL, Ed Olsen

NASA's Aqua satellite flew over both Tropical Storm Halong and developing System 96W early on July 30 and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument captured infrared data on them in one image.

Both systems show powerful thunderstorms stretching high into the troposphere with cloud top temperatures as cold as -63F/-52C. Those thunderstorms have the potential for heavy rainfall.

The latest update from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) places the center of the storm about 75 nautical miles (86.3 miles/138.9 km) northwest of Navsta, Guam, near 14.4 north latitude and 143.4 east longitude. Halong's maximum sustained winds were near 50 knots (57.4 mph/92.6 kph).

The JTWC expects Halong to strengthen to typhoon status by August 1. Halong was moving to the west at 8 knots (9.2 mph/14.8 kph).

Halong is moving through the Marianas Islands and has generated a Tropical Storm Warning for Guam and a Typhoon Warning for Rota.

To the west of Tropical Storm Halong lies the developing tropical low known as System 96W. Enhanced infrared satellite imagery on July 30 showed that System 96W appeared to be more organized.

System 96W is now located near 19.9 north latitude and 130.5 east longitude, about 416 nautical miles south-southeast of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) described System 96W as a monsoon depression with improved deep convection begins to consolidate as a typical tropical cyclone. Maximum sustained surface winds are estimated between 20 to 25 knots (23.0 to 28.7 mph / 37.0 to 46.3 kph. Minimum sea level pressure is estimated to be near 996 millibars.

The JTWC gives System 96W a high chance of becoming the Northwestern Pacific's next tropical depression in the next 24 hours.

Text credit:  Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Media Contact

Rob Gutro Eurek Alert!

All latest news from the category: Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences (also referred to as Geosciences), which deals with basic issues surrounding our planet, plays a vital role in the area of energy and raw materials supply.

Earth Sciences comprises subjects such as geology, geography, geological informatics, paleontology, mineralogy, petrography, crystallography, geophysics, geodesy, glaciology, cartography, photogrammetry, meteorology and seismology, early-warning systems, earthquake research and polar research.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Lighting up the future

New multidisciplinary research from the University of St Andrews could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting. Researchers at the Organic Semiconductor Centre in the School of Physics and…

Researchers crack sugarcane’s complex genetic code

Sweet success: Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants….

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica’s ice sheets….

Partners & Sponsors