[image-78]Tropical Storm Kajiki Fades Over South China Sea
NASA's Aqua satellite captured one of the last images of Tropical Storm Kajiki as it began moving over the central Philippines on Jan. 31. The storm, known locally as Basyang, dissipated over the South China Sea today, Feb. 3.
On January 31 at 04:45 UTC/Jan. 30 at 11:45 p.m. EST, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer known as the MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Storm Kajiki. At the time Aqua was flying over the storm, it was making landfall in the Visayas region of the Philippines.
On February 1 at 0900 UTC/4 a.m. EST, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued its final bulletin on Kajiki. By that time, Kajiki had weakened to a depression and had maximum sustained winds near 30 knots/34.5 mph/55.5 kph. It was located about 171 nautical miles/196.8 miles/316.7 km south of Manila, Philippines, near 11.8 north latitude and 121.5 east longitude. At that time the depression was moving over Palawan. Palawan is an island province of the Philippines in the South China Sea.
According to the Philippine Star, a passenger ship sank off of Camotes Island, Cebu killing one crewmember. Tropical Storm Kajiki displaced over 18,000 people into shelters.
Kajiki dissipated on February 3, 2014 in the South China Sea.
Text credit: Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
[image-51]Jan. 31, 2014 - NASA Catches Tropical Depression Kajiki Over Central Philippines
Tropical Storm Kajiki developed from the second tropical depression of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean season and quickly moved over the central Philippines. NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead and captured infrared data on the storm as it drops more rainfall on an already soggy area.
The Philippines have been battered by moderate to heavy rainfall over the last couple of months, and newborn Tropical Depression Kajiki, known locally in the Philippines as "Basyang" is adding to it. At 11 a.m. EST on Friday, January 31, the airport in Leyete, Visayas, (central) Philippines reported rain with north winds sustained at 16 mph and rains from Kajiki are expected to continue on Feb. 1 as the storm continues moving west and away from Leyete.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or PAGASA has put into effect Warning Signals #1 and #2 for various areas in the Philippines.
Public Storm Warning Signal #2 is in effect in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. That warning calls for potential impacts of winds of 61 to 100 kph within 24 hours. Locations in the warning area include Northern Palawan, the Calamian Group of islands Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros, Oriental Negros, Occidental Siquijor, Cebu, Camotes Island, Bohol, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran Province, Samar and Eastern Samar, Camiguin, Dinagat Province, Surigao del Norte inclunding Siargao Island, the northern part of Surigao del Sur and northern part of Agusan del Norte.
Public Storm Warning Signal #1 calls for winds between 30 and 60 kph within 36 hours. That warning is in effect for the rest of Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Masbate and Ticao Island, Northern Samar, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, rest of Agusan del Norte, rest of Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, Northern part of Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte and Zamboanga del Norte.
The AIRS or Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured cloud top temperatures with infrared data on Tropical Depression Kajiki on Jan. 31 at 04:41 UTC, showing powerful storms around the center and western quadrants of the storm. At the time Aqua flew overhead, the western side of Kajiki was already affecting the Visayas and Mindanao regions (central and southern) of the Philippines, bringing moderate to heavy rainfall. Cloud top temperatures in those thunderstorms were at least -63F/-52C, indicating high cloud tops and strong uplift in those storms, with heavy rainfall potential.
On January 31 at 1500 UTC/10 a.m. EST, Kajiki's maximum sustained winds were near 30 knots/34.5 mph/55.5 kph. The depression was located near 9.8 north latitude and 126.1 east longitude, about 458 nautical miles/ 527.1 miles/848.2 km southeast of Manila, Philippines. Kajiki is moving to the west at 14 knots/16.1 mph/25.9 kph and is expected to track over northern Palawan on February 1 as it continues moving into the South China Sea.
Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center expect Kajiki to dissipate over the South China Sea in several days as a result of increasing vertical wind shear and decreasing sea surface temperatures.
Text credit: Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
