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Hurricane Season 2008: Hondo, 17S, 18S (Indian Ocean)
02.07.08
 

Feb. 11, 2008

Tropical Cyclone Hondo In Open Waters

AIRS image of Tropical Cyclone Hondo Credit: NASA/JPL
> Larger image On Monday, Feb. 11, Tropical Cyclone Hondo was spinning in the open waters of the southern Indian Ocean, and away from any landmass.

At 6:00 Zulu Time (1:00 a.m. EST) Hondo was located near 23.0 degrees south latitude and 86.2 degrees east longitude, or 1220 nautical miles southeast of Diego Garcia. Hondo has sustained winds of 45 knots (52 mph) with higher gusts and was moving south-southwest near 8 knots (9 mph).

This image of Hondo was created on Feb 10 at 2:17 p.m. EST (19:17 UTC) by data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), an instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite.

This AIRS image shows the temperature of the cloud tops or the surface of the Earth in cloud-free regions. The lowest temperatures (in purple) are associated with high, cold cloud tops that make up the top of Hondo.

The infrared signal of the AIRS instrument does not penetrate through clouds. Where there are no clouds the AIRS instrument reads the infrared signal from the surface of the Earth, revealing warmer temperatures (red).

Text Credit: Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center


Feb. 8, 2008

Cyclone Hondo: Latest Image

MODIS image of Tropical Cyclone Hondo Credit: NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using MODIS Rapid Response team data
> Larger image Cyclone Hondo was a powerful Category 4 storm when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this photo-like image on the afternoon of February 7, 2008. The storm’s power is evident in its symmetric shape and well-defined eye. When MODIS took the image at 7:55 UTC, Hondo had winds of 220 kilometers per hour (140 miles per hour or 120 knots) with gusts to 270 km/hr (170 mph or 145 knots), said the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The storm was traveling southeast across the southern Indian Ocean, far from any populated region.

Text credit: Holli Riebeek






Feb. 8, 2008

Three Cyclones Make for a Very Busy Indian Ocean

There are three tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean, two are tropical storms, and one is a major hurricane. Tropical Cyclones 16S, 17S and 18S were all active on Feb. 7.

Powerful Category 4 Cyclone Hondo in Indian Ocean

The sixteenth tropical cyclone of the Indian Ocean season, named Hondo (pictured as the tightly wound blue and purple shape in the right of this image) was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 knots (138 mph) with gusts to 145 knots (166 mph) in the open ocean. Hondo is a category four hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

On February 7, 2008 at 600 Zulu Time (1:00 a.m. EST), Tropical cyclone Hondo (also known as 16C) was located near 14.7 degrees South latitude and 82.7 degrees East longitude, approximately 745 nautical miles southeast of Diego Garcia. Hondo has tracked east-southeastward at 4 knots (4 mph) over the past six hours.

Diego Garcia is an atoll located in the heart of the Indian Ocean, some 1,000 miles south off Sri Lanka and India's southern coast.

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast that the "system will continue to track southeastward. The storm will maintain intensity through the next 24 hours, then begin to weaken slightly by 48 hours." Hondo is generating waves as high as 32 feet in the open ocean.

Tropical Cyclone 18S a Tropical Storm

Tropical cyclone 18s (no name) was located approximately 770 nautical miles west-southwest of Diego Garcia, or near 12.9 degrees south latitude and 60.7 degrees east longitude. 18S tracked east-southeastward at 11 knots (12 mph) over the past six hours. 18S has maximum sustained winds of 35 knots (40 mph).

The Third Cyclone in the Region

At the same time, Tropical Cyclone 17S (No Name) was located far east from the other, approximately 565 nautical miles west-northwest of Learmonth, Australia, with sustained winds near 35 knots (40 mph). (17S is not shown in this satellite image).

NASA's Satellite Image Spies Two of the Three Cyclones

AIRS captures images of two of the three tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean.
Click image to enlarge.

This image shows Hondo (tight round shape on the right), and Tropical Cyclone 18S (larger rounded shape left) was created on Feb 7 at 7:53 UTC (2:53 a.m. EST) by data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), an instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite.

This AIRS image shows the temperature of the cloud tops or the surface of the Earth in cloud-free regions. The lowest temperatures (in purple) are associated with high, cold cloud tops that make up the top of Tropical Cyclones Hondo and 18S.

The infrared signal of the AIRS instrument does not penetrate through clouds. Where there are no clouds the AIRS instrument reads the infrared signal from the surface of the Earth, revealing warmer temperatures (red).

The National Hurricane Center's definition of a Category Four Hurricane includes: Winds 131-155 mph (114-135 knots or 210-249 km/hour). Storm surge generally 13-18 feet above normal. More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees, and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain lower than 10 feet above sea level may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas as far inland as 6 miles (10 kilometers). Image credit: Credit: NASA JPL

Text credit: Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

 
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