[image-126][image-142]NASA Still Watching an Amazingly Stubborn, Strong Tropical Low: System 94S
The tropical low pressure area known as System 94S continues to soak Australia and NASA satellites continue to track its movements. NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites captured visible and infrared data on the stubborn storm as warnings for heavy rainfall remain in effect for parts of Western Australia.
A visible image of System 94S taken from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite on Jan. 20 at 02:10 UTC showed that the low remained organized even over land. It was 6 days before that the low pressure area was moving on land over Australia's Arnhem Region in the Northern Territory. System 94S has managed to keep together a long time over land.
Infrared data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite showed that System 94S still had powerful, high thunderstorms with very cold cloud top temperatures. Temperatures were near -63F/-52C which are indicative of the storm's ability to drop heavy rainfall. System 94S was located over the Gascoyne Region in northwestern Western Australia when Aqua flew overhead on January 21 at 05:29 UTC/12:59 a.m. EST and captured the infrared data.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology or ABM issued a Severe Weather Warning for heavy rainfall in the northwestern area of Western Australia on January 21, the Gascoyne, Goldfields, Eucla, South Interior and Central Wheat Belt forecast districts
At 1500 UTC/10 a.m. EST/11 p.m. WST local time in Western Australia, System 94S was located over the northeast Gascoyne region (one of nine regions in Western Australia). The Gascoyne region has about 372 miles/600 km of coastline on the Southern Indian Ocean. System 94S was about 124 miles/200 kilometers southwest of Newman and 124 miles/200 kilometers north of Meekatharra. The low pressure area is forecast track slowly to the south across the central Gascoyne region on January 22. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology then expects System 94S to turn to the south-east into the northern Goldfields region located in the south central part of Western Australia.
ABM noted that System 94S is expected to cause heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding in parts of the warning area north of Kalgoorlie on January 22, Wednesday morning (local time). That heavy rain and flash flooding potential would extend to the rest of the warning area later that day and evening. For updated warnings, visit: http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/warnings/severe.shtml.
Text credit: Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
[image-110]Jan. 17, 2014 - NASA Tracks Soggy System 94S Over Western Australia
NASA's Terra satellite saw the System 94S, a tropical low, still holding together as it continued moving inland from the Northern Territory into Western Australia today, January 17.
The tropical low pressure system known as System 94S took a more southern route than previously expected and moved into Western Australia today, January 17. System 94S is now expected to continue moving in a southerly direction according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology or ABM.
The MODIS or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured a visible image that showed System 94S still holding together inland as it continued west on Jan. 17 at 01:35 UTC/Jan. 16 at 8:35 p.m. EST. The low continued to show good organization
The ABM of Western Australia issued flood warnings and watches on Jan. 17 Eastern Time/U.S. (12:18 a.m. local time, January 18) as System 94S moves through, dropping heavy rainfall. There are flood warnings in effect for the Interior District and the Ord River Catchment. The ABM reported that rainfall totals exceeded 50 mm at Sturt Creek in the Interior Region. ABM has predicted rainfall totals between 50mm to 100mm (approx. 2 to 4 inches) with isolated rainfall totals exceeding 150mm (6 inches).
In addition there is a Flood Watch for the Kimberley. For current warnings and watches in Western Australia, visit: http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/warnings/.
System 94S is expected to continue moving in a southerly direction over the next several days, and ABM noted it will continue impacting the central Interior District.
Text credit: Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
[image-92]Jan. 16, 2014 - NASA Satellite Imagery Shows Some Punch Left in System 94S
The tropical low pressure area known as System 94S still has some punch in it as the low-level center of circulation continues to track over Western Australia and the Northern Territory. NASA's Aqua satellite showed that thunderstorms in the low had the potential for heavy rain as it continues to track over land, and heavy rainfall warnings are in effect in the Northern Territory.
NASA's Aqua satellite passed over System 94S on January 15 at 11:59 a.m. EST and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument saw a band of powerful thunderstorms northwest of the center of the broad circulation center entering the Timor Sea from Northern Territory, Australia. Some of the thunderstorms were very high, and cloud top temperatures colder than -63F/-52C. Those temperatures are conducive to a NASA study that indicates the potential for those storms to have heavy rainfall rates.
On January 16 at 08:30 UTC/3:30 a.m. EST/6 p.m. Darwin local time, System 94S was centered about 370 nautical miles east of Broome, Australia near 18.6 south and 128.6 east. System 94S continues to track to the west and computer models indicate that it may re-emerge in the waters of the Southern Indian Ocean in the next 4 to 5 days.
The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology or ABM for the Northern Territory issued a Severe Weather Warning for heavy rainfall and flash flooding on January 16 as the low continued to move slowly west. The warning was for residents in the Victoria River and northwest Alice Springs Districts and it was issued at 10:29 p.m. CST/local time.
At 1200 UTC/7 a.m. EST/9:30 p.m. CST/Darwin local time, System 94S was centered near latitude 19.5 south and longitude 128.7 east about 99.4 miles/160 kilometers west northwest of Rabbit Flat. The ABM forecasts the low to move south along the western border of the Northern Territory.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC reported that animated multispectral satellite imagery and the radar loop from Halls Creek, Australia, showed a defined circulation center with several bands of convection wrapping around the center (which is still over land). Maximum sustained surface winds were estimated as high as 20 knots.
Currently, the JTWC gives this system a low chance for development into a tropical cyclone over the next day or two.
Text credit: Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
[image-78]Jan. 15, 2014 - NASA Sees System 94S Still Trying to Organize Near Darwin
Tropical low pressure area System 94S continues to soak Australia's Northern Territory near Darwin. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured an image that showed the areas being affected by the developing low.
System 94S' center was located near 14.3 south and 131.3 east, about 115 nautical miles south-southeast of Darwin, Australia. According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC, maximum sustained surface winds are estimated at 20 to 25 knots/23.0 to 28.7 mph/37.0 to 46.3 kph.
Animated infrared satellite imagery shows that central convection is still strong and there are spiral bands of thunderstorms pushed west of the slowly developing low-level circulation center, which is over land. The thunderstorms are being pushed west by moderate to strong vertical wind shear.
It was on January 15 at 05:23 UTC/12:23 a.m. EST when NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over System 94S and the VIIRS instrument or Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite aboard captured a high-resolution visible image of the storm. The VIIRS image showed System 94S' cloud cover over both the Northern Territory and the northeastern part of Western Australia.
VIIRS, a scanning radiometer, collects visible and infrared imagery and radiometric measurements. VIIRS data is used to measure cloud and aerosol properties, ocean color, sea and land surface temperature, ice motion and temperature, fires, and Earth's albedo.
The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology in the Northern Territory issued a Severe Weather Warning for the residents in the southwest Darwin-Daly, Victoria River, eastern Roper-McArthur Districts. The warning is for heavy rainfall and flash flooding. It was issued at 11:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, January 15. For the full warning visit: http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDD20040.txt
The JTWC noted that because of the possibility of System 94S moving back over water in the short term, the potential for the development of a significant tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours remains medium.
Text credit: Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
[image-51]Jan. 14, 2014 - NASA Sees Rainfall from System 94S Over Australia's Arnhem Region
The low pressure area designated as System 94S has been trying to organize off the northern coast of Australia's Northern Territory for a couple of days. NASA's TRMM satellite passed overhead on January 14 and saw some areas of heavy rainfall as the low appears more organized.
NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite known as TRMM measured the rainfall rates occurring in System 94S as it affected the northern coast of Australia's Northern Territory or NT, on January 14 at 0214 UTC/11:44 a.m. local time Darwin/Australia/Jan. 13, 9:14 p.m. EST. System 94S' rains are affecting the Arnhem Region of the Northern Territory.
TRMM measured the heaviest rainfall rates near 2 inches/50 mm per hour over the northeastern Van Dieman Gulf, and just off-shore in the northwestern Arnhem Region of the Northern Territory. TRMM data was used to estimate the heights of the thunderstorms that were dropping that heavy rain. Those storms were about 10 kilometers/6.2 miles high.
TRMM data showed light to moderate rainfall from System 94S stretched from the Van Dieman Gulf east, over Gang Gunak Barlu National Park, and Kakadu National Park, and southeast over Flying Fox, NT on Route 24, Central Arnhem Road.
The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology for the Northern Territory issued a Severe Weather Warning on January 14 for residents in the Darwin-Daly, Arnhem, Roper-McArthur, Victoria River and Barkly Districts, including Darwin and the Tiwi Islands. Those areas can expect damaging winds and heavy rainfall from System 94S.The warning states that squalls with locally damaging wind gusts up to 95 kph/59 mph are expected along the Territory coastline tonight (Tuesday, Jan. 14) and during Wednesday, Jan. 15. For the full text of the warning, visit: http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDD20040.txt.
At 12:30 UTC/9:30 p.m. Darwin local time/7:30 a.m. EST on January 14, System 94S was located near latitude 13.7 south and longitude 131.3 east, about 150 kilometers/ 93.2 miles south-southeast of Darwin. System 94S is expected to move in a southwesterly direction, close to the coast near the border between the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Animated infrared satellite imagery showed there is also fragmented bands of thunderstorms associated with the low-level center, which appears to be developing slowly.
System 94S' low-level center is moving over land, but computer modeling used by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC showed that System 94S' center will re-emerge over water in the next day or two. So, the JTWC gives System 94S a medium chance for becoming a tropical depression in the next day.
Text credit: Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
