NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

› Larger image
The TRMM satellite captured fading rainfall rates in dissipating Cyclone Victoria on April 12, 2013 at 0748 UTC (3:48 a.m. EDT). Wind shear has torn the storm apart and TRMM spotted limited areas where rain was falling at a rate of 30 mm per hour (green). The center of Victoria is marked “”+12/00Z” in the image. Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce NASA’s TRMM Satellite Sees Cyclone Victoria Being Blown Apart

Tropical Cyclone Victoria is now a remnant low pressure area in the Southern Indian Ocean after running into strong wind shear that has been tearing the storm apart. When NASA’s TRMM satellite passed over the storm on April 12 it saw limited areas with moderate rainfall pushed far from the center of circulation.

NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite captured fading rainfall rates in dissipating Cyclone Victoria on April 12, 2013 at 0748 UTC (3:48 a.m. EDT). Wind shear has torn the storm apart and TRMM spotted limited areas where rain was falling at a rate of 30 mm (1.18 inches) per hour, pushed southeast of the center of circulation.

On April 12 at 0300 UTC (April 11 at 11 p.m. EDT) the Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued their final warning on Victoria. At that time, Tropical Cyclone Victoria was located near 23.1 south latitude and 106.1 east longitude, about 445 nautical miles (512 miles/ 824 km) west of Learmonth, Australia. Victoria has moved south-southeast at 21 knots (24.8 mph/38.8 kph). Although Victoria’s maximum sustained winds were near 35 knots (40 mph/ 64.8 kph), it has moved over cool waters and is being battered with strong wind shear. Victoria is expected to fully dissipate in the next day.

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

---

April 11, 2013

› Larger image
NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Cyclone Victoria on April 11 at 0320 UTC. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard Aqua captured this visible image that showed strong thunderstorms around the center of circulation and in a band of thunderstorms wrapping around the eastern side of the storm. Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team NASA Satellite Image Sees Cyclone Victoria Looking like a “J” from Space

When NASA’s Aqua satellite flew over Cyclone Victoria in the Southern Indian Ocean it captured a visible image of the storm and it appeared to look like the letter “J.” A band of thunderstorms wrapping into the center from the east of low-level center of circulation extended north, creating the appearance of the letter.

NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Cyclone Victoria on April 11 at 0320 UTC (April 10 at 11:20 p.m. EDT). The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard Aqua captured the visible image that showed strong thunderstorms around the center of circulation and in a band of thunderstorms wrapping around the eastern side of the storm.

On April 11 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT), Cyclone Victoria had maximum sustained winds near 50 knots (57.5 mph/92.6 kph). It was centered near 20.5 south latitude and 105.3 east longitude, about 530 nautical miles (610 miles/981.6 km) west-northwest of Learmonth, Australia. Victoria is moving to the south-southeast at 14 knots (16.1 mph/25.9 kph).

Wind shear is affecting Victoria, pushing the strongest convection (rising air that forms the thunderstorms that make up the tropical storm) and thunderstorms southeast of the center. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecasters noted that the wind shear is a result of a powerful jet stream located southwest of the cyclone. The wind shear is expected to continue increasing as Victoria tracks southeast, and sea surface temperatures will drop below the 80 degree Fahrenheit (26.6 Celsius) threshold needed to maintain a tropical cyclone. Those two factors are expected to weaken Victoria very quickly in the next day or two.

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

---

April 10, 2013

› Larger image
NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Cyclone Victoria on April 10 at 3:05 a.m. EDT. Victoria with strong thunderstorms around the center of circulation and appears to be developing an eye. Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team NASA Sees Cyclone Victoria Developing an Eye

Cyclone Victoria continued to intensify overnight from April 9 to April 10, and imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite showed a tighter storm circulation and a possible eye developing.

On April 10, 2013 at 0300 UTC, Victoria had maximum sustained winds near 60 knots (69 mph/111 kph). Victoria was located near 15.2 south and 103.8 east, about 735 nautical miles northwest of Learmonth, Australia. Victoria was moving to the south-southeast at 8 knots (9 mph/15 kph).

NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Cyclone Victoria on April 10 at 0705 UTC (3:05 a.m. EDT). The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard Aqua captured this visible image that showed a rounded Tropical Cyclone Victoria with strong thunderstorms around the center of circulation, moving through the Southern Indian Ocean.

According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Victoria is in an area of low wind shear and warm waters. However, an approaching mid-latitude trough of low pressure will increase wind shear and as Victoria heads further south, the waters will cool.

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

---

April 09, 2013

› Larger image
NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Cyclone Victoria on April 9 at 0622 UTC (2:22 a.m. EDT). The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard Aqua captured this visible image that showed strong thunderstorms over the center of Tropical Cyclone Victoria, and in a band east of the center. Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team NASA Sees Tropical Cyclone Victoria Born in Southern Indian Ocean

NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of newborn Tropical Cyclone Victoria on April 9 when it passed over the Southern Indian Ocean and it revealed powerful thunderstorms had developed in two areas of the storm.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured the image on April 9 at 0622 UTC (2:22 a.m. EDT). The visible image showed powerful thunderstorms over the center of circulation. Powerful thunderstorms were also visible in a band wrapping into the low-level center of circulation from the eastern side of the storm.

At 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) on April 9, Victoria had maximum sustained winds near 45 knots (51.7 mph/83.3 kph). Victoria was center near 13.3 south latitude and 102.4 east longitude, about 330 nautical miles (380 miles/611 km) east-southeast of the Cocos Islands and over the open waters of the Southern Indian Ocean. The Cocos Islands is a territory of Australia. They are also called the Cocos Islands and Keeling Islands, located southwest of Christmas Island and about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka.

Cyclone Victoria is expected to move in a southerly direction, moving parallel to the coast of Western Australia over the next week. Victoria is currently moving south at 10 knots (11.5 mph/18.5 kph).

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center expect Victoria to strengthen to around 60 knots before wind shear and cooler waters weaken the storm again.

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