NASA image shows Typhoon Phanfone's pinhole eye

NASA image shows Typhoon Phanfone's pinhole eye
NASA's Aqua satellite captured this image of Typhoon Phanfone moving through the Northwestern Pacific Ocean on Oct. 3 at 4:20 UTC. Credit: NASA MODIS Rapid Response Team

yphoon Phanfone's eye appeared the size of a pinhole on visible imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite on Oct.3.

The MODIS instrument or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a of Phanfone moving through the Northwestern Pacific Ocean on Oct. 3 at 4:20 UTC (12:20 a.m. EDT). The tiny open eye of the storm was surrounded by a thick band of thunderstorms. The MODIS image also showed a very thick and large band of thunderstorms south of the center and spiraling into the eye.

On Thursday, Oct. 2, Typhoon Phanfone's maximum sustained winds strengthened to 100 knots (126.6 mph/ 203.7 kph). It was centered at 21.0 north latitude and 137.1 east longitude, about 332 nautical miles (382.1 miles/614.9 km) southwest of the island of Iwo To. Phanfone was moving to the northwest and is expected to continue in that direction before turning to northeast on Oct. 4 south of the Kyushu Province of Japan. Kyushu is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) expects Phanfone to begin weakening on Oct. 4 as it begins a transition to an extra-tropical cyclone.

Citation: NASA image shows Typhoon Phanfone's pinhole eye (2014, October 3) retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2014-10-nasa-image-typhoon-phanfone-pinhole.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Newborn Tropical Storm Phanfone triggers warnings in Northwestern Pacific

0 shares

Feedback to editors