NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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The colors in this Cloudsat image of Typhoon Guchol on indicate the intensity of the reflected radar energy. The blue areas along the top of the clouds indicate cloud ice, while the wavy blue lines on the bottom center of the image indicate intense rainfall.
Credit: NASA/JPL/Colorado State University/Naval Research Laboratory-Monterey

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› View larger image The MODIS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite captured this infrared image of Typhoon Guchol on June 16, 2012, a few minutes before the CloudSat overpass (the blue line).
Credit: NASA NASA's CloudSat Takes Typhoon Guchol's Profile Picture

NASA's CloudSat satellite has a cloud profiling radar, which is like photographing the profile, or side view of a person's face. CloudSat takes a sideways profile of tropical cyclones.

On June 15, 2012 at 1200 UTC (8 a.m. EDT) Guchol's maximum sustained winds were near 90 knots (103.6 mph/166.7 kph). CloudSat overpassed Typhoon Guchol the next day on June 16, 2012 at 0500 UTC (1 a.m. EDT/U.S.), when it was just east of the Philippines.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite captured the infrared image taken a few minutes before the CloudSat passed overhead.

CloudSat passed over Typhoon Guchol just to the east of the center of the storm through the eye wall. Heavy precipitation is distinuguished by the attenuation of the radar (lack of signal) in the lowest 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) of the CloudSat swath. A large area of moderate and light precipitation extends hundreds of kilometers south of the center of the storm. Individual cumulonimbus cells are evident underneath the anvil shield.

Typhoon Guchol strengthened into a Super Typhoon shortly after CloudSat passed by. On June 18 at 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT/U.S.) Guchol's maximum sustained winds strengthened to 105 knots (120.8 mph/194.5 kph), which makes it a Category three typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Guchol continued north and westward towards Japan bringing heavy rains and high winds to parts of Japan on June 19 and 20, 2012, as a tropical storm.

Text Credit: Natalie Tourville
Colorado State University

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June 20, 2012
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The TRMM satellite passed above weakening typhoon Guchol on June 18, 2012 at 2322 UTC (7:33 p.m. EDT/U.S.) as it moved toward Japan's main island of Honshu. The yellow, green and blue areas indicate light-to-moderate rainfall between 20 and 40 millimeters (.78 to 1.57 inches) per hour. Red areas are considered heavy rainfall at 2 inches/50 mm per hour and there was none evident in the image.
Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce NASA Saw Tropical Storm Guchol's Rainfall Drench Japan

The first tropical storm of the season to make landfall in Japan was a soaker, and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite captured its large area of rainfall as it moved over the big island.

The TRMM satellite passed above weakening typhoon Guchol on June 18, 2012 at 2322 UTC (7:33 p.m. EDT) as it moved toward Japan's main island of Honshu. A precipitation analysis from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments showed that the Japanese islands of Kyushu and Shikoku were getting rainfall from Guchol at the time of that orbit. Guchol was shown by TRMM to be enhancing rainfall in parts of Japan over 500 km (~310.7 miles) from the typhoon's center.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued their final bulletin on Guchol on June 19 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT). At that time, maximum sustained winds were down to 35 knots (40 mph/64 kph). It was located about 110 miles (177 km) west of Yokosuka, Japan, near 35.3 North and 137.5 East and speeding to the northeast at 37 knots (42.5 mph/68.5 kph)!

Guchol re-emerged over the Pacific Ocean as a fully extra-tropical cyclone and will continue to weaken at sea.

Text Credit: Hal Pierce / Rob Gutro
SSAI / NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

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June 19, 2012

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The MODIS instrument onboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured this image of Tropical Storm Guchol approaching Japan on June 19 at 03:55 UTC (June 18 at 11:55 p.m. EDT).
Credit: NASA MODIS Rapid Response Team

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When TRMM passed over Guchol on June 18, 2012, concentric bands of rainfall were seen embedded within a large area of rainfall around the weakening typhoon. The yellow, green and blue areas indicate light-to-moderate rainfall between 20 and 40 millimeters (.78 to 1.57 inches) per hour. The red area is considered heavy rainfall at 2 inches/50 mm per hour.
Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce NASA Satellites See Tropical Storm Guchol Affecting Japan

Tropical Storm Guchol became the first tropical cyclone to hit Japan this year and NASA's TRMM and Aqua satellites have captured radar, infrared and visible imagery of the recently weakened storm.

Yesterday, June 18, 2012, Guchol was a powerful category 4 typhoon on the Simpson Scale with winds of 130 knots (~150 mph). Guchol has been weakening and was a strong tropical storm when it was making landfall near Japan's main island of Honshu on June 19, 2012. The TRMM satellite saw Guchol early on Monday June 18, 2012 at 0154 UTC. A rainfall analysis from TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) was overlaid on a daytime image from TRMM's Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS) instrument at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The image showed concentric bands of rainfall embedded within a large area of rainfall around the weakening typhoon.

At 900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT/U.S.) on June 19, Guchol's maximum sustained winds were near 55 knots (3.2 mph/101.9 kph). The storm is about 360 miles (414 miles/667 km) in diameter. It was centered near 22.5 North and 135.7 East, over Shingu, a city located in Wakayama, Japan. The city of Shingu is the central commercial city of Japan's Kumano region, and one of the largest cities in Wakayama Prefecture.

That's about 160 nautical miles south-southwest of Kyoto, Japan. It is speeding northeastward near 37 knots (42.5 mph/68.5 kph) and creating rough seas as high as 33 feet (10 meters)!

Guchol is expected to continue weakening and become extra-tropical as it passes over Japan in the next day.

Text Credit: Hal Pierce / Rob Gutro
SSAI / NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

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June 18, 2012


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This image of Typhoon Guchol was taken by the MODIS instrument onboard NASA's Aqua satellite on June 18, 2012 at 0445 UTC (12:45 a.m. EDT/U.S.). Guchol is approaching Kadena Air Base. This image shows high cirrus clouds over Guchol's eye.
Credit: NASA MODIS Rapid Response Team

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This infrared image was taken on June 18 at 0441 UTC (12:41 a.m. EDT) from the AIRS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite shows the northern quadrant of Typhoon Guchol brushing Kadena Air Base. The purple areas show the strongest storms and coldest cloud top temperatures. Those are the areas of heaviest rainfall. Notice the bands of thunderstorms east and south of the center.
Credit: NASA JPL/Ed Olsen NASA Sees Powerful Typhoon Guchol Affecting Kadena Air Base

All hatches should be battened down at Kadena Air Base, Japan as NASA satellite imagery today, June 18, revealed the northern quadrant of Typhoon Guchol as already affecting the island.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument onboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Typhoon Guchol on June 18, 2012 at 0445 UTC (12:45 a.m. EDT/U.S.). Guchol is approaching Kadena Air Base. The image showed high cirrus clouds over Guchol's eye. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument onboard Aqua captured an infrared image that revealed powerful thunderstorms over a large area surrounding the eye, that had very cold cloud top temperatures (colder than -63F/-52C). The infrared image also revealed bands of thunderstorms east and south of the center.

On June 18 at 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT/U.S.) Guchol has maximum sustained wind near 105 knots (120.8 mph/194.5 kph), which makes it a Category three typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Typhoon-force winds extend 55 nautical miles (63 miles/102 km) from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds extend 165 nautical miles (190 miles/305 km), making the storm about 330 nautical miles (380 miles/611 km) in diameter. Guchol's storm surges pose a big threat, as it is generating 52 foot-high (~16 meters) seas.

At 9:35 p.m. EDT on June 17, the Kadena Air Base Facebook page reported "The 18th Wing commander announced TCCOR 1: Destructive sustained winds of 50 knots [57.5 mph/92.6 kph] or greater are expected within 12 hours. DODDs schools will close at this time. Fill any available containers with water. Make a final check of food, water and other supplies." Kadena Air Base will experience rough surf, heavy rainfall and typhoon-force winds from June 18 to 20 as the storm moves north.

Guchol is moving north toward the big Island of Japan and expected to track near Kyoto. Guchol continues to weaken and is expected to become extra-tropical while moving over Japan.

Text Credit: Rob Gutro
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

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June 15, 2012
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This image from NASA's TRMM satellite shows Typhoon Guchol's rainfall intensity on June 15, 2012. The yellow, green and blue areas indicate light-to-moderate rainfall between 20 and 40 millimeters (.78 to 1.57 inches) per hour. The red area is considered heavy rainfall at 2 inches/50 mm per hour and is occurring around the center of circulation in the area where "hot towers" were noted on satellite imagery.
Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce NASA Sees Heavy Rainfall Around Compact Typhoon Guchol's Center

Typhoon Guchol has spawned alerts in the Philippines as it is forecast to skirt the eastern part of Luzon this weekend, and will likely spawn warnings in Okinawa and western Japan over the next couple of days as it tracks in that direction. NASA's TRMM satellite analyzed rainfall within the storm and found heavy rainfall around the center of circulation, falling at a rate of over 2 inches/50 mm per hour and there were hot towering thunderstorms.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) have issued a Typhoon Warning for shipping interests today, June 15, 2012. That warning can be found at: http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/wb/tcws_files.html. For more updates from PAGASA, visit: http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/wb/tcupdate.shtml.

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite called TRMM measures how much rain can fall per hour in storms. On June 15, TRMM analyzed the rainfall rate within Typhoon Guchol, also known in the Philippines as "Typhoon Butchoy." A rainfall analysis was made at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. that used data from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments. That analysis was overlaid on an enhanced infrared image from TRMM's Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS) instrument and showed heavy convective storms were dropping intense rainfall of over 50mm/hr (~2 inches) around the storm's center. The areas of that heavy rainfall were occurring from "Hot Towers," or towering thunderstorms. TRMM Precipitation Radar showed those hot towers were higher than 15km (~9.3 miles). The coldest cloud top temperatures were near -74 Celsius (-101 Fahrenheit)!

On June 15, 2012 at 1200 UTC (8 a.m. EDT) Guchol's (Butchoy) maximum sustained winds were near 90 knots (103.6 mph/166.7 kph). The strong winds were creating very rough seas and high waves in the Philippine Sea, where wave heights were near 33 feet (10.6 meters). Guchol was about 660 miles east-southeast of Manila, Philippines, near 11.6 North and 130.6 East. It was moving to the northwest at 7 knots (8 mph/13 kph).

Guchol is still a small system, very compact and strong. Satellite imagery enabled forecasters to estimate that it is about 110 nautical miles in diameter. The eye is currently cloud-filled on satellite imagery.

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center expect Guchol to continue intensifying as it tracks toward Okinawa and then re-curve toward western Japan over the next several days. Residents along the path of the storm should prepare for very rough surf, heavy rainfall and typhoon conditions over the weekend.

Text Credit: Rob Gutro
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

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June 14, 2012
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NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Typhoon Guchol on June 13 at 1635 UTC (12:35 p.m. EDT) and captured an infrared view of the storm's clouds and temperatures. The AIRS instrument on Aqua captured infrared and temperature data on Guchol. The lowest temperatures were as cold as or colder than 220 degrees Kelvin or minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (-52 Celsius) and appear in purple.
Credit: NASA/JPL, Ed Olsen Guchol is a Tiny Typhoon on NASA Satellite Imagery

Tropical Storm Guchol intensified into a typhoon and is a compact system. It appears as a strong, small typhoon in infrared NASA satellite imagery today.

NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Typhoon Guchol on June 13 and 14 and captured an infrared view of the storm's clouds and temperatures. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies on NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared and temperature data on Guchol. When cloud temperatures get colder, it means that clouds are getting higher. The lowest temperatures were as cold as or colder than 220 degrees Kelvin or minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (-52 Celsius). The imagery also showed a small, compact system with a central dense overcast, about 120 miles (~193 km) in diameter. Satellite imagery also showed tightly-curved bands of thunderstorms wrapping into a well-defined low-level circulation center.

As Guchol is expected to impact the east central and northeastern Luzon over the next couple of days, forecasters in the Philippines are calling Guchol "Butchoy."

At 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT/U.S. or 11 p.m. Asia/Manila time, Philippines), Guchol had maximum sustained winds near 70 knots (~80 mph/~130 kph). Tropical storm-force winds extend out about 60 miles (96.5 km) from the center (making the storm about 120 miles (193.1 km) in diameter), while typhoon-force winds extend only 20 nautical miles (23 miles/37 km) from the center.

It was located about 750 nautical miles (863.1 miles/1389 km) east-southeast of Manila, Philippines near 10.8 North and 132.7 East, so it was quite a distance from land. It was moving to the west near 12 knots (~14 mph/~22 kph). Typhoon Guchol is still on track to brush east central and northern Luzon, Philippines beginning June 15 as it moves north-northeast and toward southern Japan. Interests in the Philippines and Okinawa, Japan should monitor the progress of this storm.

Text Credit: Rob Gutro
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

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June 13, 2012
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NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Storm Guchol on June 13 at 0417 UTC (12:17 a.m. EDT) and captured an infrared image of the storm. The strongest thunderstorms with the coldest cloud tops are in the purple-colored areas. AIRS data revealed a break in thunderstorms in the northern quadrant.
Credit: NASA/JPL, Ed Olsen NASA Sees Tropical Storm Guchol Moving Past Yap

As Tropical Storm Guchol continues to move past Yap, a NASA satellite captured an infrared look at its cloud tops and noticed a break in thunderstorms in its northern quadrant.

NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Storm Guchol on June 13 at 0417 UTC (12:17 a.m. EDT) and captured an infrared image of the storm from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument. The infrared imagery indicates that convection (rising air that forms thunderstorms) and thunderstorms have continued over the low-level circulation center. However, AIRS data revealed a break in thunderstorms in the northern quadrant.

On June 13 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT/U.S.), Guchol's maximum sustained winds dropped to 45 knots (51.7 mph/83.3 kph). It is located about 65 nautical miles (74.8 miles/120.4 km) north of Yap, near 10.9 North and 137.5 East. It has doubled in forward speed now, and is moving to the west-northwest at 14 knots (16.1 mph/25.9 kph). Tropical storm warnings have been dropped for Yap State, Micronesia.

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center expect Guchol to again intensify as it moves over warm waters and into an area of low wind shear.

Guchol is next expected to graze northeastern Luzon, the Philippines sometime on June 16.

Text Credit: Rob Gutro
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

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June 12, 2012
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NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Storm Guchol on June 12 at 0335 UTC and captured a near-infrared image of the storm from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument. The infrared imagery indicates that convection and thunderstorms are consolidating over the low-level circulation center. Two tightly curved bands of thunderstorms are wrapping into the low-level center from the northeastern and southwestern quadrants of the storm.
Credit: NASA/JPL, Ed Olsen NASA Tracks Tiny Tropical Storm Guchol in Western North Pacific

Tropical Storm Guchol appears as a small tropical storm on NASA satellite imagery as it tracks through the western North Pacific Ocean today, June 12, 2012.

NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Storm Guchol on June 12 at 0335 UTC and captured a near-infrared image of the storm from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument. The infrared imagery indicates that convection (rising air that forms thunderstorms) and thunderstorms are consolidating over the low-level circulation center. Two tightly curved bands of thunderstorms are wrapping into the low-level center from the northeastern and southwestern quadrants of the storm. Satellite imagery indicates that dry air along the northern edge of the storm is preventing thunderstorm formation, which accounts for the slow development of the storm, and the smaller size.

On June 12 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT/U.S.), Guchol, formerly known as Tropical Depression 05W, has maximum sustained winds near 65 knots (~75 mph/120.4 kph). It is located about 225 nautical miles east of Yap, near 9.7 North and 141.7 East. It is moving to the west at 7 knots (8 mph/13 kph). A tropical storm warning is in effect for Fais and Ulithi in Yap State, Micronesia.

Text Credit: Rob Gutro
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

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June 11, 2012
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The MODIS instrument on NASA's Terra satellite captured this infrared image of Tropical Depression 05W in the western North Pacific Ocean on June 11, at 1222 UTC (8:22 a.m. EDT), soon after it formed. It revealed strong convection (rising air that forms the thunderstorms that make up a tropical cyclone) around the center.
Credit: NASA/NRL NASA Sees Another New Tropical Depression Born in Western North Pacific

Tropical Depression 05W has been born in the western North Pacific, a couple of hundred miles south of Guam, and NASA's Terra satellite captured its "baby picture."

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite captured an infrared image of Tropical Depression 05W in the western North Pacific Ocean on June 11, at 1222 UTC (8:22 a.m. EDT), soon after it formed. It revealed strong convection (rising air that forms the thunderstorms that make up a tropical cyclone) around the center. The center of circulation appears to be ill-defined on satellite imagery. There are bands of thunderstorms wrapping into the center, however.

At 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) on June 11, Tropical Depression 05W (TD05W) had maximum sustained winds near 25 knots. It was centered about 220 nautical miles south of Guam, near 9.7 North and 144.5 East. It was moving to the west at 12 knots and after it passes Yap in a couple of days, is expected to turn west-northward.

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center expect that TD05W will slowly intensify as it continues westward.

Text Credit: Rob Gutro
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.