NASA Sees Tropical Storm Karina Get a Boost

NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured Tropical Storm Karina (left), Tropical Storm Lowell (center) and Tropical Storm Marie (right) in an infrared image on Aug. 22 at 5 a.m. EDT as they moved through the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Image Credit: NASA/NOAA's GOES Project

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission or TRMM satellite passed directly above the center of Tropical Storm Karina on August 22, 2014 at 0151 UTC (Aug. 21 at 9:51 p.m. EDT).

A rainfall analysis that used data from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) showed that storms near Karina's center were dropping rain at a rate near 25 mm/1 inch per hour.

Where the heaviest rainfall was occurring, TRMM spotted a couple of towering thunderstorms as high as 15 km (~9 miles). 

NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured Tropical Storm Karina, Tropical Storm Lowell and Tropical Storm Marie in an infrared image on Aug. 22 at 5 a.m. EDT.

Karina appeared to be in the lead of the triple tropical train of storms moving through the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The image showed how much smaller and compact Karina is in comparison to Tropical Storm Lowell. 

At 11 a.m. EDT, Tropical Storm Karina's maximum sustained winds had increased to near 70 mph (110 kph), and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that some fluctuations in intensity are possible before Karina begins to weaken on August 23.

The center of Tropical Storm Karina was located near latitude 15.0 north and longitude 135.6 west, about 1,325 miles (2,130 km) east of Hilo, Hawaii. Karina is moving to the northeast near 3 mph (6 kph) and is expected to turn to the east-northeast as it continues being affected by nearby Tropical Storm Lowell.

Forecaster Roberts at NHC noted that in two days Karina should be on a weakening trend because the storm will be moving into cooler waters and it will run into stable, dry air.

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

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