NASA sees a comma-shaped Tropical Storm Krovanh over Marianas

The Marianas Islands in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean were in the tail of Tropical Storm Krovanh's "comma shape" when NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead early on September 16.

On Sept. 16 at 03:50 UTC (Sept. 15 at 11:50 p.m. EDT) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Storm Krovanh. The center of Krovanh was east of the northern Marianas Islands, while a thick band of thunderstorms that resembled the tail of a comma, stretched over the island chain.

National Weather Service (NWS) in Tiyan, Guam noted that a tropical storm watch remains in effect for Alamagan, Pagan and Agrihan in the northern Marianas Islands. Tropical storm conditions including tropical storm force winds of 39 mph or more are possible within 24 hours. For updated forecasts from the NWS in Guam, visit: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/guam/cyclone.php.

At 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT) on Sept. 16 the Joint Typhoon Warning Center noted that Krovanh had maximum sustained winds near 55 knots (63.3 mph/101.9 kph). It was 20.1 North latitude and 146.8 East longitude, about 391 nautical miles (480 miles) north-northeast of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam and within 115 miles of Agrihan. Krovanh has tracked west-northwestward at 13 knots (15 mph/24 kph).

The JTWC expects Krovanh to peak in intensity on Sept. 18 as it passes east of the island of Iwo To, Japan, when maximum sustained winds are forecast to reach 115 knots. Thereafter, Krovanh is expected to turn to the northeast over the open waters of the Northwestern Pacific and become extra-tropical.