Imani on the weakening on weekend
This isn't a good weekend for keeping tropical cyclones alive, as Tropical Storm Omais is becoming extra-tropical in the northwestern Pacific Ocean and Tropical Storm Imani appears doomed over the weekend in the Southern Indian Ocean. Imani was still hanging onto tropical storm status on March 26 at 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT) with maximum sustained winds near 52 mph (45 knots), but the storm is running into vertical wind shear – basically a tropical cyclone killer. Imani was located about 810 nautical miles southwest of the Cocos Islands, near 21.3 South and 86.4 East. It was slugging southward at 3 mph (2 knots).
On March 26, NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Imani at 0836 UTC and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument onboard captured a visible image of the storm. It showed that the northern half of the tropical cyclone contained very scattered thunderstorms which is conducive to strong wind shear in that quadrant of the storm.
Satellite imagery revealed that its low-level circulation center is now "fully exposed" on the north side of the storm, and that there is weak and sheared-off convection (winds coming in block thunderstorms from forming by pushing rising air away). That wind shear is forecast to increase, so Imani's chances of weakening are also increased. Imani is expected to become a depression over the weekend.
Source: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Articles on the same topic
- Winds blow off Omais' thunderstorm topsFri, 26 Mar 2010, 21:22:58 UTC
- Imani reaches cyclone status 'by the tail'Thu, 25 Mar 2010, 17:19:52 UTC
- Tropical storm Omais weakens and doubles in sizeThu, 25 Mar 2010, 17:19:50 UTC
- 02W renamed Tropical Storm Omais, staying at seaWed, 24 Mar 2010, 20:37:29 UTC
- Tropical Storm Imani making a question mark in the Southern Indian OceanWed, 24 Mar 2010, 20:37:28 UTC
- NASA's Aqua Satellite sees a tight Tropical Storm 21STue, 23 Mar 2010, 18:32:28 UTC
- Tropical Depression 02W forms in northwestern PacificMon, 22 Mar 2010, 22:11:08 UTC
Other sources
- Imani on the weakening on weekendfrom Science BlogSun, 28 Mar 2010, 3:14:13 UTC
- Winds blow off Omais' thunderstorm topsfrom Science BlogSun, 28 Mar 2010, 3:14:09 UTC
- Imani on the weakening on weekendfrom PhysorgFri, 26 Mar 2010, 23:07:16 UTC
- Winds blow off Omais' thunderstorm topsfrom PhysorgFri, 26 Mar 2010, 23:07:11 UTC
- Imani on the weakening on weekendfrom Science BlogFri, 26 Mar 2010, 22:21:31 UTC
- Winds blow off Omais' thunderstorm topsfrom Science BlogFri, 26 Mar 2010, 22:21:29 UTC
- Tropical storm Omais weakens and doubles in sizefrom Science BlogThu, 25 Mar 2010, 17:50:38 UTC
- Imani reaches cyclone status 'by the tail'from Science BlogThu, 25 Mar 2010, 17:50:30 UTC
- Imani reaches cyclone status 'by the tail'from PhysorgThu, 25 Mar 2010, 17:50:02 UTC
- Tropical storm Omais weakens and doubles in sizefrom PhysorgThu, 25 Mar 2010, 17:22:38 UTC
- 02W renamed Tropical Storm Omais, staying at seafrom PhysorgWed, 24 Mar 2010, 21:14:08 UTC
- Tropical Storm Imani making a question mark in the Southern Indian Oceanfrom PhysorgWed, 24 Mar 2010, 20:49:17 UTC
- Tropical Storm Imani making a question mark in the Southern Indian Oceanfrom Science BlogWed, 24 Mar 2010, 20:28:39 UTC
- 02W renamed Tropical Storm Omais, staying at seafrom Science BlogWed, 24 Mar 2010, 20:28:37 UTC
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- NASA's Aqua Satellite sees a tight Tropical Storm 21Sfrom PhysorgTue, 23 Mar 2010, 19:14:24 UTC
- Tropical Depression 02W forms in northwestern Pacificfrom Science BlogTue, 23 Mar 2010, 4:28:26 UTC
- Tropical Depression 02W forms in northwestern Pacificfrom PhysorgMon, 22 Mar 2010, 22:21:06 UTC
- Tropical Depression 02W forms in northwestern Pacificfrom Science BlogMon, 22 Mar 2010, 22:07:17 UTC