For the second year in a row, Valentine's Day on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar has been marked by the arrival of a tropical cyclone. Cyclone Giovanna made landfall on the east coast shortly after midnight, bringing torrential rain and reported wind speeds of up to 231 km per hour.
One death has been reported so far in Brickaville where unconfirmed reports indicate severe damage to the local hospital and many people rendered homeless. In the capital, Antananarivo, power has been cut off and drivers ordered to stay off the roads.
Last year, Cyclone Bingiza also hit the island on February 14, and killed 14 people and destroyed nearly 6,000 homes over the course of five days. Schools for over 7,000 children were damaged.
The imminent arrival of Cyclone Giovanna injected an unusual dose of reality into the work of an evaluation team from the UK's York University which arrived on the island a week ago to assess the impact of UNICEF and the Ministry of Education's Disaster Risk Reduction, Preparedness and Response programme.
Yesterday, Dr. Sean Deely, Deputy Director of York University's Postwar Reconstruction and Development Unit (PRDU) was at a school in Analangirofo, close to where the cyclone was expected to make landfall and said: "It was amazing to see the kids preparing for the cyclone and the extent of their knowledge."
Before we lost mobile phone contact, Dr. Deely told UNISDR that the team had visited two schools in the lead-up to the arrival of Giovanna.
"We knew that there was a possibility of a tropical cyclone. Two storms have already passed through the Mozambique Channel since the beginning of the season.
"It's very interesting to see how the project has been implemented with a range of partners. They are training Ministry of Education staff at national and district level and they in turn train the teachers in the schools and the teachers then pass on the key messages to the kids on disaster risk reduction and preparedness measures for tropical storms, floods, tsunamis, forest fires and other hazards. The children go home and pass the messages on to their parents.
Read in detail at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23249
Showing posts with label cyclone relief india. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cyclone relief india. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm THANE over southwest Bay of Bengal:-Cyclone Warning for north Tamilnadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast : Orange Message
The very severe cyclonic storm THANE over southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-southwestward and lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 29th December 2011 near latitude 12.30N and longitude 83.00E, about 300 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamilnadu) and 480 km north-northeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka). The system is likely to move westwards and cross north Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and Chennai, close to Puducherry around morning of 30th December 2011. However, as the cyclonic storm will come further close to coast, there is probability of slight weakening before landfall.
Based on latest analysis with NWP models and other conventional techniques, estimated track and intensity of the system are given in the Table below:
Date/Time(IST)
Position (lat. 0N/ long. 0E)
Sustained maximum surface wind speed (kmph)
Intensity
29-12-2011/0530
12.3/83.0
120-130 gusting to 145
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
29-12-2011/1130
12.0/82.3
120-130 gusting to 145
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
29-12-2011/1730
12.0/81.5
110-120 gusting to 135
Severe Cyclonic Storm
29-12-2011/2330
12.0/80.7
110-120 gusting to 135
Severe Cyclonic Storm
30-12-2011/0530
12.0/80.0
100-110 gusting to 125
Severe Cyclonic Storm
30-12-2011/1730
12.0/78.6
65-75 gusting to 85
Cyclonic Storm
31-12-2011/0530
12.0/77.2
55-65 gusting to 75
Deep Depression
31-12-2011/1730
12.0/75.8
45-55 gusting to 65
Depression
Under the influence of this system, rainfall at most places with isolated heavy rainfall is likely over north Tamil Nadu & Puducherry and south coastal Andhra Pradesh from today morning, the 29th December 2011 onwards. The intensity of rainfall would increase with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls (25cm or more) from today evening onwards and extend to Rayalseema and north interior Tamil Nadu.
Squally winds speed reaching 45-55 kmph likely to commence along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts from today morning The wind speed will increase gradually from today night onwards becoming 100-110 kmph gusting to 125 kmph along and off north Tamilnadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast at the time of landfall.
Storm surge of about 1 meter height above the astronomical tide would inundate the low lying areas of Chennai and Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram & Villupuram districts of north Tamil Nadu at the time of landfall.
Sea condition will be high to very high around the system centre. Sea condition will be high to very high along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts from today night onwards.
Fishermen along north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & south Andhra Pradesh coasts are advised not to venture into sea. Those who are out at sea are advised to return to the coast.
Damage expected (over north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh): Extensive damage to thatched roof and huts. Minor damage to power and communication line due to uprooting of large avenue trees. Flooding of escape routes.
Action suggested (over north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh): Total suspension of fishing operations. Coastal hutment dwellers to be moved to safer place. People in affected areas to remain indoors.
Source:- http://www.imd.gov.in/section/nhac/dynamic/cwind.htm
Based on latest analysis with NWP models and other conventional techniques, estimated track and intensity of the system are given in the Table below:
Date/Time(IST)
Position (lat. 0N/ long. 0E)
Sustained maximum surface wind speed (kmph)
Intensity
29-12-2011/0530
12.3/83.0
120-130 gusting to 145
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
29-12-2011/1130
12.0/82.3
120-130 gusting to 145
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
29-12-2011/1730
12.0/81.5
110-120 gusting to 135
Severe Cyclonic Storm
29-12-2011/2330
12.0/80.7
110-120 gusting to 135
Severe Cyclonic Storm
30-12-2011/0530
12.0/80.0
100-110 gusting to 125
Severe Cyclonic Storm
30-12-2011/1730
12.0/78.6
65-75 gusting to 85
Cyclonic Storm
31-12-2011/0530
12.0/77.2
55-65 gusting to 75
Deep Depression
31-12-2011/1730
12.0/75.8
45-55 gusting to 65
Depression
Under the influence of this system, rainfall at most places with isolated heavy rainfall is likely over north Tamil Nadu & Puducherry and south coastal Andhra Pradesh from today morning, the 29th December 2011 onwards. The intensity of rainfall would increase with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls (25cm or more) from today evening onwards and extend to Rayalseema and north interior Tamil Nadu.
Squally winds speed reaching 45-55 kmph likely to commence along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts from today morning The wind speed will increase gradually from today night onwards becoming 100-110 kmph gusting to 125 kmph along and off north Tamilnadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast at the time of landfall.
Storm surge of about 1 meter height above the astronomical tide would inundate the low lying areas of Chennai and Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram & Villupuram districts of north Tamil Nadu at the time of landfall.
Sea condition will be high to very high around the system centre. Sea condition will be high to very high along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts from today night onwards.
Fishermen along north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & south Andhra Pradesh coasts are advised not to venture into sea. Those who are out at sea are advised to return to the coast.
Damage expected (over north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh): Extensive damage to thatched roof and huts. Minor damage to power and communication line due to uprooting of large avenue trees. Flooding of escape routes.
Action suggested (over north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh): Total suspension of fishing operations. Coastal hutment dwellers to be moved to safer place. People in affected areas to remain indoors.
Source:- http://www.imd.gov.in/section/nhac/dynamic/cwind.htm
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Better science and communication needed to help vulnerable adapt to climate change
A major international conference in Bangladesh has ended with strong recommendations on how to help communities in developing countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
More than 300 participants from 60 countries attended the 5th International Conference on Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change in Dhaka this week.
The conference ended with calls for greater scientific analysis of adaptation at the community level, better communication of what works, and stronger engagement with a broader range of players.
Atiq Rahman of the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, which co-organised the conference, said it had been: "A milestone of intense interaction between scientists, practitioners, policy-makers, NGOs and government representatives. Looking back it has been a great journey of excitement and better development of understanding. Some of the questions getting sharper and more rigorous."
The conference included three days of field trips to see how communities are already adapting to threats such as droughts and floods. This was followed by a formal conference with 21 sessions that included methods and tools to different sectors like agriculture and water, ecosystems
"Bangladesh is a living laboratory for adaptation to climate change," says Saleemul Huq. "People here are already developing ways to make their communities more resilient to extreme weather and rising temperatures. The conference focused on how to take the many lessons that are emerging at a local level like this, and scale them up so that they can bring benefits across the planet."
The conference attracted more academic researchers than ever before, a sign that community-based adaptation is becoming easier to define, measure and analyse in ways that can bring value to global efforts to protect people from the impacts of climate change.
Conference participants plan to publish a peer-reviewed book of their findings to help raise the profile of the science of community-level adaptation in the next IPCC report, due out in 2014. "So far, there has not been a lot about community-based adaptation in the academic literature and we are trying to fill that gap," says Huq.
Conference delegates also spoke of the need to engage a broader range of people with the concept of community-based adaptation, having already attracted, first, development workers and, second, academics.
"We need to identify incentives for the private sector to support adaptation at the community level and we need to involve governments, youth groups and faith based organizations," says Huq. "The final element is to spread our knowledge. We have to be better at communicating from what NGOs and other practitioners learn on the ground and better at supporting communities and drawing out lessons from their activities."
Communication will be a central theme of next year's conference, which will take place in Vietnam.
Visit this page for video clips, blogs and more from the conference
To watch the keynote speeches, follow these links to YouTube
Friday, March 18, 2011
NASA Satellites Show Towering Thunderstorms in Rare Sub-tropical Storm
Hurricane Season 2011: Sub-Tropical Storm Arani (South Atlantic Ocean)
03.17.11
› View larger image
On March 16 at 15:53 UTC (1:52 p.m. EST) NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Sub-Tropical Storm Arani in the Southern Atlantic and captured some remaining cold, strong thunderstorms (purple) north and east of the storm's center. Those areas represent very high, cold, thunderstorm cloud tops where temperatures are as cold as or colder than -63F/-52C.
Credit: NASA/JPL, Ed OlsenNASA Sees Sub-Tropical Storm Arani Merging With a Front
Sub-Tropical Storm Arani is now merging with a weather front and going out with a bang, according to NASA satellite imagery. Infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite still showed some powerful thunderstorms in the system.
On March 16 at 15:53 UTC (1:52 p.m. EST) NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Sub-Tropical Storm Arani in the Southern Atlantic. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument captured some remaining cold, strong thunderstorms north and east of the storm's center at that time. Those areas represent very high, cold, thunderstorm cloud tops where temperatures are as cold as or colder than -63F/-52C, and were areas of heavy rainfall.
Although Sub-Tropical Storm Arani is located several hundred miles east of Rio de Janiero, it was still bringing heavy surf to beaches. Arpoador Beach reported rough surf on March 16 from Arani as it continued to move east and away from Brazil. Arani is now in the process of merging with a cold front and joining several other rare tropical cyclones in the history of the Southern Atlantic.
Text Credit: Rob Gutro/Hal Pierce, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
March 16, 2011
› View larger image
This 3-D view of Sub-tropical Storm Arani's clouds was created from data taken by NASA's TRMM satellite. It showed that there were very heavy thunderstorms (red) in the eastern half of the storm. TRMM's Precipitation Radar showed that some of these powerful storms were reaching to heights of over 14 km (~8.7 miles) above the surface of the Southern Atlantic Ocean.
Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce
› View larger image
The TRMM satellite had another very good view of Sub-tropical Cyclone Arani in the morning light on March 16, 2011 at 1052 UTC. This data showed that there were very heavy thunderstorms in the eastern half of the storm. TRMM's Precipitation Radar showed that some of these powerful storms were reaching to heights of over 14 km (~8.7 miles) above the surface of the Southern Atlantic Ocean.
Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce
› View larger image
On Mar. 16 at 03:29 UTC (Mar. 15 at 11:29 p.m. EST) NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Sub-Tropical Storm Arani's cold thunderstorm cloud tops (purple) in two areas of the storm. Those cloud tops were as cold as or colder than -63F/-52 C, and were areas of heavy rainfall. The strongest thunderstorms appeared north and south of the center of circulation.
Credit: NASA/JPL, Ed Olsen
› View larger image
TRMM measured the rainfall rates within Sub-Tropical Storm Arani on March 15 at 1820 UTC (2:20 p.m. EST). TRMM rainfall images are false-colored with yellow, green and red areas, which indicate rainfall between 20 and 40 millimeters (.78 to 1.57 inches) per hour. Dark red areas are considered heavy rainfall, as much as 2 inches of rain per hour.
Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal PierceNASA Satellites Show Towering Thunderstorms in Rare Sub-tropical Storm Arani
NASA's Aqua and TRMM satellites are providing data to scientists about the Southern Atlantic Ocean Sub-tropical Storm Arani, a rare occurrence in the southern ocean. Rainfall data and cloud top temperatures revealed some heavy rain and strong thunderstorms exist in Arani as it continues to pull away from Brazil.
NOAA's Satellite and Information Service classified Arani as a T1 on the Dvorak intensity scale which would indicate an estimated wind speed of about 29 knots (~33 mph).
During the daytime on Tuesday, March 15 at 1820 UTC (2:20 p.m. EST) NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew over Sub-Tropical Storm Arani. TRMM rainfall data showed that the storm contained mostly moderate rainfall, falling at a rate between 20 and 40 millimeters (.89 to 1.57 inches) per hour. However, there were some areas of heavy rainfall in the north and eastern quadrants of the storm. The heavier rainfall was occurring at about 50 mm or 2 inches per hour. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data were used in the image above to show rainfall near Arani.
On Mar. 16 at 03:29 UTC (Mar. 15 at 11:29 p.m. EST) another of NASA's fleet of Earth science satellites flew over Sub-tropical Storm Arani and took its temperature. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Sub-Tropical Storm Arani's cold thunderstorm cloud tops in two areas of the storm. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard Aqua provided infrared readings of those cloud tops and showed that they were as cold as or colder than -63F/-52 C, and were areas of heavy rainfall. The strongest thunderstorms wrapped from the north, eastward to the south of the center of circulation, confirming the data from the TRMM satellite.
Later on March 16, at 10:52 UTC (6:52 a.m. EST), the TRMM satellite again passed over Sub-Tropical Storm Arani and noticed it still had some strong thunderstorms and was producing heavy rainfall off the Brazilian coast.
TRMM data was used to create a 3-D view of Sub-tropical Storm Arani's clouds, and it showed that there were very heavy thunderstorms in the eastern half of the storm. TRMM's Precipitation Radar showed that some of these powerful storms were reaching to heights of over 14 km (~8.7 miles) above the surface of the Southern Atlantic Ocean.
Arani has the appearance of a tropical cyclone but has been classified as a subtropical cyclone. Subtropical cyclones are low pressure areas that develop with a cold core and transition to a warm core in the mid-levels of the troposphere, resembling a tropical cyclone. They more typically form outside of hurricane season (which is June 1 to Nov. 30 in the Northern Atlantic, for example). They also have broad wind patterns and that means that their maximum sustained winds are usually located farther from the center than a tropical cyclone. They also have no weather fronts linked to them, such as a typical low pressure area that brings summertime storms with an associated cold front. Subtropical cyclones can sometimes become tropical cyclones, and occasionally, tropical cyclones can become subtropical.
Tropical cyclones are very rare in the Southern Atlantic Ocean. In 2004 a cyclone called Catarina formed in the South Atlantic and caused some controversy when it was classified as a hurricane by the United States' National Hurricane Center.
Arani is over the open waters of the Southern Atlantic and continues to move east-southeast and farther away from Brazil.
Text Credit: Rob Gutro/Hal Pierce, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
March 15, 2011
› View larger image
On March 14 at 1553 UTC (11:53 a.m. EST) NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Sub-Tropical Storm Arani along the Brazilian coast. Most of the convection and thunderstorms (purple) were limited to the eastern half of the storm.
Credit: NASA JPL, Ed OlsenNASA's Aqua Satellite Spots Rare Southern Atlantic Sub-Tropical Storm
NASA's Aqua satellite spotted some strong convection in a recently formed low pressure area that strengthened into Sub-Tropical Storm Arani in the South Atlantic. Arani formed near the coast of Brazil and is now moving away from it. Tropical cyclones in the Southern Atlantic are a rare occurrence and since 2004 there have only been three of them, Arani being the third.
On March 14, 2011 at 1553 UTC (11:53 a.m. EST) the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Sub-Tropical Storm Arani moving away from the Brazilian coast. Most of the convection and thunderstorms were limited to the eastern half of the storm at the time of the image. The strong areas of convection (rapidly rising air that condenses and forms the thunderstorms that power a tropical cyclone) appeared on the imagery as a sideways boomerang, and were off-shore, paralleling the coast.
AIRS measured the temperatures in those strong areas of convection and found they were as cold as or colder than -63 Fahrenheit (-52 Celsius) indicating some strong thunderstorms with heavy rainfall. That heavy rainfall was occurring off-shore. NASA's AIRS imagery is created at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
On March 15 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EST), the Brazilian Navy issued a special marine warning for the Brazilian coast. The warning stated that Sub-Tropical Storm Arani was located near 24.0 South latitude and 37 West longitude. Arani had a minimum central pressure of 998 millibars and was moving east-southeast near 10 to 15 knot winds.
Tropical cyclones in the Southern Atlantic Ocean are rare. In 2010 System 90Q formed in the same region where Sub-Tropical Storm Arani formed this year. For more information on System 90Q, visit NASA's Hurricane page archives at: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/archives/2010/h2010_90Q.html.
Dr. Jack Beven of the National Hurricane Center, Miami, Fla. said that Sub-Tropical Storm Arani is not currently as well developed as Tropical Storm Catarina was in the Southern Atlantic in 2004 or System 90Q last year.
The Brazilian Navy has marine forecasting responsibility for that part of the Atlantic designated the system a subtropical cyclone. For updates from the Brazilian Navy on Sub-Tropical Storm Arani, visit:https://www.mar.mil.br/dhn/chm/meteo/indexing.htm. NASA's Hurricane page is managed out of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Sub-Tropical Storm Arani is forecast to continue moving away from the Brazilian coast over the next couple of days.
Text Credit: Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
03.17.11
› View larger image
On March 16 at 15:53 UTC (1:52 p.m. EST) NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Sub-Tropical Storm Arani in the Southern Atlantic and captured some remaining cold, strong thunderstorms (purple) north and east of the storm's center. Those areas represent very high, cold, thunderstorm cloud tops where temperatures are as cold as or colder than -63F/-52C.
Credit: NASA/JPL, Ed OlsenNASA Sees Sub-Tropical Storm Arani Merging With a Front
Sub-Tropical Storm Arani is now merging with a weather front and going out with a bang, according to NASA satellite imagery. Infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite still showed some powerful thunderstorms in the system.
On March 16 at 15:53 UTC (1:52 p.m. EST) NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Sub-Tropical Storm Arani in the Southern Atlantic. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument captured some remaining cold, strong thunderstorms north and east of the storm's center at that time. Those areas represent very high, cold, thunderstorm cloud tops where temperatures are as cold as or colder than -63F/-52C, and were areas of heavy rainfall.
Although Sub-Tropical Storm Arani is located several hundred miles east of Rio de Janiero, it was still bringing heavy surf to beaches. Arpoador Beach reported rough surf on March 16 from Arani as it continued to move east and away from Brazil. Arani is now in the process of merging with a cold front and joining several other rare tropical cyclones in the history of the Southern Atlantic.
Text Credit: Rob Gutro/Hal Pierce, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
March 16, 2011
› View larger image
This 3-D view of Sub-tropical Storm Arani's clouds was created from data taken by NASA's TRMM satellite. It showed that there were very heavy thunderstorms (red) in the eastern half of the storm. TRMM's Precipitation Radar showed that some of these powerful storms were reaching to heights of over 14 km (~8.7 miles) above the surface of the Southern Atlantic Ocean.
Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce
› View larger image
The TRMM satellite had another very good view of Sub-tropical Cyclone Arani in the morning light on March 16, 2011 at 1052 UTC. This data showed that there were very heavy thunderstorms in the eastern half of the storm. TRMM's Precipitation Radar showed that some of these powerful storms were reaching to heights of over 14 km (~8.7 miles) above the surface of the Southern Atlantic Ocean.
Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce
› View larger image
On Mar. 16 at 03:29 UTC (Mar. 15 at 11:29 p.m. EST) NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Sub-Tropical Storm Arani's cold thunderstorm cloud tops (purple) in two areas of the storm. Those cloud tops were as cold as or colder than -63F/-52 C, and were areas of heavy rainfall. The strongest thunderstorms appeared north and south of the center of circulation.
Credit: NASA/JPL, Ed Olsen
› View larger image
TRMM measured the rainfall rates within Sub-Tropical Storm Arani on March 15 at 1820 UTC (2:20 p.m. EST). TRMM rainfall images are false-colored with yellow, green and red areas, which indicate rainfall between 20 and 40 millimeters (.78 to 1.57 inches) per hour. Dark red areas are considered heavy rainfall, as much as 2 inches of rain per hour.
Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal PierceNASA Satellites Show Towering Thunderstorms in Rare Sub-tropical Storm Arani
NASA's Aqua and TRMM satellites are providing data to scientists about the Southern Atlantic Ocean Sub-tropical Storm Arani, a rare occurrence in the southern ocean. Rainfall data and cloud top temperatures revealed some heavy rain and strong thunderstorms exist in Arani as it continues to pull away from Brazil.
NOAA's Satellite and Information Service classified Arani as a T1 on the Dvorak intensity scale which would indicate an estimated wind speed of about 29 knots (~33 mph).
During the daytime on Tuesday, March 15 at 1820 UTC (2:20 p.m. EST) NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew over Sub-Tropical Storm Arani. TRMM rainfall data showed that the storm contained mostly moderate rainfall, falling at a rate between 20 and 40 millimeters (.89 to 1.57 inches) per hour. However, there were some areas of heavy rainfall in the north and eastern quadrants of the storm. The heavier rainfall was occurring at about 50 mm or 2 inches per hour. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data were used in the image above to show rainfall near Arani.
On Mar. 16 at 03:29 UTC (Mar. 15 at 11:29 p.m. EST) another of NASA's fleet of Earth science satellites flew over Sub-tropical Storm Arani and took its temperature. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Sub-Tropical Storm Arani's cold thunderstorm cloud tops in two areas of the storm. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard Aqua provided infrared readings of those cloud tops and showed that they were as cold as or colder than -63F/-52 C, and were areas of heavy rainfall. The strongest thunderstorms wrapped from the north, eastward to the south of the center of circulation, confirming the data from the TRMM satellite.
Later on March 16, at 10:52 UTC (6:52 a.m. EST), the TRMM satellite again passed over Sub-Tropical Storm Arani and noticed it still had some strong thunderstorms and was producing heavy rainfall off the Brazilian coast.
TRMM data was used to create a 3-D view of Sub-tropical Storm Arani's clouds, and it showed that there were very heavy thunderstorms in the eastern half of the storm. TRMM's Precipitation Radar showed that some of these powerful storms were reaching to heights of over 14 km (~8.7 miles) above the surface of the Southern Atlantic Ocean.
Arani has the appearance of a tropical cyclone but has been classified as a subtropical cyclone. Subtropical cyclones are low pressure areas that develop with a cold core and transition to a warm core in the mid-levels of the troposphere, resembling a tropical cyclone. They more typically form outside of hurricane season (which is June 1 to Nov. 30 in the Northern Atlantic, for example). They also have broad wind patterns and that means that their maximum sustained winds are usually located farther from the center than a tropical cyclone. They also have no weather fronts linked to them, such as a typical low pressure area that brings summertime storms with an associated cold front. Subtropical cyclones can sometimes become tropical cyclones, and occasionally, tropical cyclones can become subtropical.
Tropical cyclones are very rare in the Southern Atlantic Ocean. In 2004 a cyclone called Catarina formed in the South Atlantic and caused some controversy when it was classified as a hurricane by the United States' National Hurricane Center.
Arani is over the open waters of the Southern Atlantic and continues to move east-southeast and farther away from Brazil.
Text Credit: Rob Gutro/Hal Pierce, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
March 15, 2011
› View larger image
On March 14 at 1553 UTC (11:53 a.m. EST) NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Sub-Tropical Storm Arani along the Brazilian coast. Most of the convection and thunderstorms (purple) were limited to the eastern half of the storm.
Credit: NASA JPL, Ed OlsenNASA's Aqua Satellite Spots Rare Southern Atlantic Sub-Tropical Storm
NASA's Aqua satellite spotted some strong convection in a recently formed low pressure area that strengthened into Sub-Tropical Storm Arani in the South Atlantic. Arani formed near the coast of Brazil and is now moving away from it. Tropical cyclones in the Southern Atlantic are a rare occurrence and since 2004 there have only been three of them, Arani being the third.
On March 14, 2011 at 1553 UTC (11:53 a.m. EST) the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Sub-Tropical Storm Arani moving away from the Brazilian coast. Most of the convection and thunderstorms were limited to the eastern half of the storm at the time of the image. The strong areas of convection (rapidly rising air that condenses and forms the thunderstorms that power a tropical cyclone) appeared on the imagery as a sideways boomerang, and were off-shore, paralleling the coast.
AIRS measured the temperatures in those strong areas of convection and found they were as cold as or colder than -63 Fahrenheit (-52 Celsius) indicating some strong thunderstorms with heavy rainfall. That heavy rainfall was occurring off-shore. NASA's AIRS imagery is created at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
On March 15 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EST), the Brazilian Navy issued a special marine warning for the Brazilian coast. The warning stated that Sub-Tropical Storm Arani was located near 24.0 South latitude and 37 West longitude. Arani had a minimum central pressure of 998 millibars and was moving east-southeast near 10 to 15 knot winds.
Tropical cyclones in the Southern Atlantic Ocean are rare. In 2010 System 90Q formed in the same region where Sub-Tropical Storm Arani formed this year. For more information on System 90Q, visit NASA's Hurricane page archives at: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/archives/2010/h2010_90Q.html.
Dr. Jack Beven of the National Hurricane Center, Miami, Fla. said that Sub-Tropical Storm Arani is not currently as well developed as Tropical Storm Catarina was in the Southern Atlantic in 2004 or System 90Q last year.
The Brazilian Navy has marine forecasting responsibility for that part of the Atlantic designated the system a subtropical cyclone. For updates from the Brazilian Navy on Sub-Tropical Storm Arani, visit:https://www.mar.mil.br/dhn/chm/meteo/indexing.htm. NASA's Hurricane page is managed out of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Sub-Tropical Storm Arani is forecast to continue moving away from the Brazilian coast over the next couple of days.
Text Credit: Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
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