Tropical Storm Irwin's eastern side builds on satellite imagery

Thunderstorm development on the eastern side of Tropical Storm Irwin appears to have improved in infrared imagery from NOAA's GOES-West satellite.

NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image of Irwin on July 28 at 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 UTC). The image showed recent improvement in the thunderstorm banding feature wrapping around the eastern half of the cyclone. In the image, it appeared that the northern and eastern quadrant of the storm had a larger concentration of thunderstorms than rest of the storm.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted at 5 a.m. EDT (0900UTC) the center of Tropical Storm Irwin was located near 14.9 degrees north latitude and 124.8 degrees west longitude. It was about 1,120 miles (1,800 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. Irwin was drifting toward the west near 2 mph (4 kph), and little motion is expected through Saturday, July 29. A turn toward the north-northeast to northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected on Sunday. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 50 mph (85 kph) with higher gusts. Some fluctuations in intensity are possible during the next couple of days.

The National Hurricane Center noted that the University of Wisconsin-Madison's "CIMSS wind shear analysis and the SHIPS model both indicate that moderate northeasterly shear, produced by an anticyclone to the north, will be the primary inhibitor for any significant strengthening prior to Irwin's demise in 4 days. Little change in the cyclone's intensity is forecast before the merging of Irwin with Tropical Storm Hilary occurs around the 96 hour period."