NASA sees Cyclone Dumile moving over open ocean
Cyclone Dumile is on a solo journey in a southeasterly direction over the open waters of the Southern Indian Ocean over the weekend of Jan. 5 and 6. NASA's Aqua satellite captured a stunning visible image of Dumile as it left La Reunion and Mauritius behind.
The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a stunning visible image of Tropical Cyclone Dumile on Jan. 4, 2013 at 1020 UTC (5:20 a.m. EST) as it moved away from La Reunion Island and Mauritius. The MODIS image showed a tight swirl of clouds around Dumile's center as it maintained cyclone (hurricane) status, where the most powerful and highest thunderstorms were east and south of the center of circulation. The image also showed the eastern coast of Madagascar to the left of the storm.
Multispectral satellite imagery indicated that Dumile's eye had become ragged, and the storm was starting to elongate, indicating it is weakening.
At 0900 UTC (4 a.m. EST) on Jan. 4, Tropical Cyclone Dumile's maximum sustained winds were near 70 knots (80.5 mph/129.6 kph). It was located near 25.4 south latitude and 54.2 east longitude, about 260 miles (299.2 miles/ 481.5 km) south-southwest of La Reunion.
La Reunion remains on a blue alert, which is expected to be dropped as Dumile continues moving away. Dumile was moving to the south at 11 knots (2.6 mph/20.3 kph) and generating very rough seas with wave heights to 32 feet (9.7 meters).
Dumile will continue moving over open ocean and transition to an extra-tropical storm as it encounters stronger vertical wind shear and cooler waters.
Provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
