NASA’s Latest Hurricane Florence Images Look Evil
New satellite images from Hurricane Florence show the storm has no signs of slowing down.
NASA’s latest infrared data shows the eye of the hurricane is strengthening, giving a glaring red pupil to the middle of the eye.
The space organization frequently contributes to monitoring and tracking major weather events around the globe, and the start of hurricane season for the southern United States is certainly something on its radars. NASA’s Aqua satellite is providing visible, infrared microwave imaging. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) core satellite -- co-operated by NASA and Japan's space program -- also contributes to analysis of the storm, giving additional data about rainfall and other precipitation statistics.
Hurricane Florence is expected to get so strong that it’s expected to bring devastation and heavy rains as far inland as the Appalachian mountains, according to the National Weather Service.
NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) said “Interests in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic states should monitor the progress of Florence. Storm Surge and Hurricane watches could be issued for portions of these areas by Tuesday morning."
NEW: Florence is now a category 4 hurricane. Data from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter indicate that Florence has continued to rapidly strengthen and has maximum sustained winds near 130 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 946 mb (27.93 inches) https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/wfLt6fJPl2
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 10, 2018
At 11 a.m. today, Hurricane Florence picked up and became classified as a major hurricane with winds of 115 mph.
NEW: Florence is now a category 4 hurricane. Data from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter indicate that Florence has continued to rapidly strengthen and has maximum sustained winds near 130 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 946 mb (27.93 inches) https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/wfLt6fJPl2
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 10, 2018
“When GPM observed Florence, the intensifying storm had maximum sustained winds of about 70 knots (81 mph) at that time and was still a tropical storm,” NASA reported in their most recent storm update. “At the time GPM observed Florence, GPM’s Microwave Imager (GMI) instruments revealed distinct rain bands wrapping around Florence’s southeastern side.
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"Algorithms developed by NASA’s Precipitation Measurement Missions (PMM) team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland were used with GMI data and estimated that precipitation was falling at a rate of greater than 44 mm (1.7 inches) per hour in the rain band.”
Interesting Engineering will continue to monitor Hurricane Florence’s progress as it starts to make landfall in the United States.