NASA finds depression strengthening into Tropical Storm Emilia

The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite passed over Tropical Depression Six-E in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and found heavy rainfall occurring in two areas. Shortly after GPM passed overhead, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Emilia.

Tropical Depression Six-E developed on June 27 at 5 p.m. EDT and strengthened into the fifth tropical storm of the Eastern Pacific Ocean season by 5 a.m. EDT on June 28.

The GPM core observatory satellite passed over Tropical Depression Six-E on June 28 at 1:30 a.m. EDT (0530 UTC) as it was strengthening into a tropical storm. Data collected by the GPM satellite's Microwave Imager (GMI) showed that powerful storms circling the center of the depression. Those storms were producing rainfall at a rate greater than 1.4 inches per hour. A Band of thunderstorms extending north of the center were also producing rainfall at greater than 1.4 inches per hour. GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA.

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on Thursday, June 28, 2018 the center of Tropical Storm Emilia was located near latitude 14.4 degrees north and longitude 112.4 degrees west. That's about 610 miles (980 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Emilia was moving toward the west-northwest near 14 mph (22 kph), and this general motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected over the next few days. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 millibars.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours before weakening begins on Sunday, July 1.