NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite finds a weaker Tropical Storm Leepi

NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite caught up with Typhoon Leepi in the open waters of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean and captured a visible image that showed the bulk of clouds were northeast of the center.

Leepi developed early on Aug. 11 as tropical depression 19W. Over the weekend of Aug. 11 and 12 it strengthened into a tropical storm.

On August 13 at 0324 UTC (Aug. 12 at 11:24 p.m. EDT) the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured visible image of Leepi. The image showed powerful thunderstorms circling the low-level center of circulation and extending in a band northeast of the center. The storm appeared to be degrading from the previous day's satellite imagery.

On August 13 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC noted that Tropical Storm Leepi was located near 27.8 degrees north latitude and 136.9 degrees east longitude, about 541 nautical miles southeast of Sasebo, Japan. Leepi had maximum sustained winds near 63.2 mph (55 knots/103.2 kph) but is on weakening trend.

The JTWC said Leepi's "inflow over the southwest quadrant is beginning to interact with the broad cyclonic flow around [nearby] System 98W."

Leepi is weakening as it moves northwest, and is expected to turn west, moving to the south of Japan. The system will dissipate within three days.