GPM sees rainfall in Tropical Depression Kilo nearing Johnston Island
The Global Precipitation Measurement or GPM mission core satellite gathered rainfall data on Tropical Depression Kilo as it heads toward Johnston Island in the Central Pacific Ocean. On August 24, a Tropical Storm Warning was posted for Johnston Island
Kilo formed as depression and strengthened into a tropical storm to southeast of the Hawaiian Islands on August 20, 2015. By 5 a.m. EDT on Sunday, August 23, Kilo weakened to a tropical depression. Today, August 24, the tropical depression nearing Johnston Island.
The National Hurricane Center noted that Johnston Island will experience tropical storm conditions today and tomorrow, August 25. Large surf is expected especially along east and southeast facing reefs and shorelines through Wednesday, August 25, and Kilo is expected to drop between 4 to 8 inches of rainfall along and near its track.
That rainfall was seen by the GPM core observatory satellite on August 23, 2015 at 0131 UTC (Aug. 22 at 11:31 p.m. EDT). GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) discovered that rain was falling at a rate of over 121 mm (4.8 inches) in powerful storms on the northern side of Kilo. Those same storms are shown in a 3-D simulated view reaching heights of over 16.6 km (10.3 miles). The GPM satellite is managed by NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
On August 24 at 1200 UTC (8 a.m. EDT), the center of Tropical Depression Kilo was located near latitude 14.8 north and longitude 166.7 west. That's about 160 miles (255 km) east of Johnston Island the Depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph (11 kph). The estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 millibars. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 kph). For updated forecasts, visit NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center website: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc.
Kilo is expected to strengthen to a tropical storm later today and into a hurricane by Tuesday, August 25 as it turns northeast toward the island of Nihoa.
Provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
