Gonzalo (Atlantic Ocean)
October 17, 2014
On Oct. 16 at 17:45 UTC (1:45 p.m. EDT) NASA's Aqua satellite captured this image of Hurricane Gonzalo (08L) in the Atlantic Ocean.
Image Credit:
NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team
NASA and NOAA satellite imagery at 2 p.m. EDT on Friday, Oct. 17 showed Major Hurricane Gonzalo nearing landfall on the southern side of Bermuda. NOAA's GOES-East satellite saw a more ragged eye on the approach. NASA compiled the imagery from a couple of days into a video that shows the progression of the hurricane as it began landfalling.
Bermuda was under a hurricane warning at 2 p.m. EDT on Oct. 17, meaning that hurricane conditions were expected within the warning area, in this case within the next 12 to 18 hours.
On Oct. 16 at 17:45 UTC (1:45 p.m. EDT) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Hurricane Gonzalo. The MODIS image revealed that the eye appeared open. By Oct. 17 at 11 a.m. EDT, NOAA's GOES satellite imagery showed that the eye was not as distinct as it was when Aqua flew overhead.
Visible imagery from NOAA's GOES-East satellite at 1:45 p.m. EDT showed that the eye had continued to become more ragged as Gonzalo's center neared landfall on the island of Bermuda. The National Hurricane Center noted that "Gonzalo is expected to be a dangerous Category 3 hurricane as it moves near or over Bermuda."
NOAA's GOES-East satellite video of Hurricane Gonzalo's movement from Oct. 15-17 where it made landfall in Bermuda.
Image Credit:
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
Gonzalo's Location at 2 p.m. EDT on Oct. 17
At 2 p.m. EDT on Oct. 17 Gonzalo's maximum sustained winds were near 120 mph (205 kph), making it a Category Three Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km) The estimated minimum central pressure is 947 millibars.
The eye of Hurricane Gonzalo was near latitude 31.0 north and longitude 65.6 west. That's just 100 miles (165 km) south-southwest of Bermuda. Gonzalo was moving toward the north-northeast near 16 mph (26 kph) and is expected to continue moving north-northeastward.
NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this image of Hurricane Gonzalo off the U.S. East Coast on Oct. 16 at 13:07 UTC (9:07 a.m. EDT).
Image Credit:
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
Hurricane conditions are expected to reach Bermuda later on Oct. 17. The NHC noted that wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hilly terrain are often up to 30 percent stronger than at the surface and in some elevated locations can be even greater.
Gonzalo is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 3 to 6 inches over Bermuda.
Dangerous Surf Covering a Large Area
A dangerous and life-threatening storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding in Bermuda. Near the coast the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.
The NHC said that large swells generated by Gonzalo are affecting Bermuda and portions of the Virgin Island, northern coasts of Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. Dangerous swells are also affecting the Bahamas and portions of the U.S. Southeast coast and are expected to spread northward along the U.S. East Coast today. These swells will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
For updates on location effects and conditions, visit the National Hurricane Center website: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/.
After passing Bermuda and moving south of Newfoundland, Canada in the next day and a half, the NHC forecast calls for Gonzalo to begin transitioning to an extra-tropical storm as it runs into increasing wind shear and cooler waters.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Image Credit:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
On October 16th, 2014 (1342 UTC) the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission's Core Observatory flew over Hurricane Gonzalo as it headed towards Bermuda. Hurricane Gonzalo remains a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, with maximum sustained winds at 130 mph. As of 12:00 UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) on Friday, October 17th, the National Hurricane Center forecast located the storm about 195 miles south southwest of Bermuda, where a hurricane warning is in effect.
The GPM Core Observatory carries two instruments that show the location and intensity of rain and snow, which defines a crucial part of the storm structure – and how it will behave. The GPM Microwave Imager sees through the tops of clouds to observe how much and where precipitation occurs. The Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar provides the three-dimensional view, showing the structure of the storm spiraling inward toward the center, with heavier rain on the north side of the storm. Shades of blue represent ice in the upper part of clouds. Viewed from the side, the stark color change from blue to green marks the transition from ice to rain.
For forecasters, GPM's microwave and radar data are part of the toolbox of satellite data, including other low Earth orbit and geostationary satellites, that they use to monitor tropical cyclones and hurricanes.
The addition of GPM data to the current suite of satellite data is timely. Its predecessor precipitation satellite, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, is 18 years into what was originally a three-year mission. GPM's new high-resolution microwave imager data and the unique radar data ensure that forecasters and modelers won't have a gap in coverage. GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. All GPM data products can be found at NASA Goddard's Precipitation Processing Center website http://pps.gsfc.nasa.gov/.
High Resolution downloadable video available at SVS: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=4230&button=search&valu...
Data provided by the joint NASA/JAXA GPM mission.
On Oct. 15 at 15:30 UTC (11:30 a.m. EDT) NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of Hurricane Gonzalo in the Atlantic Ocean.
Image Credit:
NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team
NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this image of Hurricane Gonzalo off the U.S. East Coast on Oct. 16 at 13:07 UTC (9:07 a.m. EDT).
Image Credit:
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this image of Hurricane Gonzalo off the U.S. East Coast on Oct. 16 at 13:07 UTC (9:07 a.m. EDT).
Image Credit:
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
NASA and NOAA satellites have been providing continuous coverage of Hurricane Gonzalo as it moves toward Bermuda. NASA's Terra satellite saw thunderstorms wrapped tightly around the center with large bands of thunderstorms wrapping into it. NOAA's GOES-East satellite provided and "eye-opening" view of Gonzalo, still a Category 4 hurricane on Oct. 16.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Bermuda and that means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area, meaning the entire island.
On Oct. 15 at 15:30 UTC (11:30 a.m. EDT) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured a visible picture of Hurricane Gonzalo in the Atlantic Ocean. The image revealed a cloud-covered center with strong thunderstorms surrounding the eye as bands of strong thunderstorms in the southern, eastern and northern quadrants spiraled into the center.
NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured an image of Hurricane Gonzalo off the U.S. East Coast on Oct. 16 at 13:07 UTC (9:07 a.m. EDT) and showed that Gonzalo's eye had become cloud-free. The image also showed a line of clouds associated with a cold front stretching over 1,600 miles that just moved off the U.S. East coast and headed toward Gonzalo.
On Thursday, Oct. 16 at 8 a.m. EDT, Hurricane Gonzalo was still a major hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 140 mph (220 kph). Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km).
Fluctuations in intensity are common in major hurricanes. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) cautioned that "Slow weakening is forecast but Gonzalo is expected to be a dangerous hurricane when it moves near Bermuda."
Gonzalo's eye was located by a NOAA Hurricane Hunter near latitude 25.5 north and longitude 68.7 west. That puts the eye of Gonzalo about 525 miles (845 km) south-southwest of Bermuda. The minimum central pressure measured by the NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft is 940 millibars.
Gonzalo is moving toward the north near 9 mph (15 kph) and this general motion is expected to continue today. The NHC forecast calls for a turn toward the north-northeast and an increase in forward speed tonight (Oct. 16) and Friday (Oct. 17). On the forecast track, the center of Gonzalo is expected to pass near Bermuda on Friday.
The NHC expects hurricane-force winds, and rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches in Bermuda. A storm surge with coastal flooding can be expected in Bermuda, with large and destructive waves along the coast. In addition, life-threatening surf and riptide conditions are likely in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Bahamas. Those dangerous conditions are expected along the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda later today, Oct. 16.
The NHC forecast calls for Gonzalo to remain a major hurricane on its approach to landfall in Bermuda. For updated information and forecasts, visit: www.nhc.noaa.gov.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
On Oct. 15 at 11:15 a.m. EDT NOAA's GOES-East satellite saw Gonzalo had tightly wrapped bands of thunderstorms spiraling into the center of its circulation.
Image Credit:
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
This animation of visible and infrared images from NOAA's GOES-East satellite shows the movement and strengthening of Gonzalo from a tropical storm on Oct. 13 to a hurricane on Oct. 15 north of Puerto Rico.
Image Credit:
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
Hurricane Gonzalo has made the jump to major hurricane status and on Oct. 15 was a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. NOAA's GOES-East satellite provided imagery of the storm. According to the National Hurricane Center, Gonzalo is the first category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic basin since Ophelia in 2011.
NOAA's GOES-East satellite provides visible and infrared images of weather from its orbit in a fixed position over the Earth. On Oct. 15 at 15:15 UTC (11:15 a.m. EDT) GOES saw Gonzalo had tightly wrapped bands of thunderstorms spiraling into the center of its circulation. The eye of the storm was obscured by high clouds in the image. NOAA aircraft data and microwave images clearly show concentric eyewalls, with the inner radius of maximum winds now only about 4-5 nautical miles from the center.
NOAA manages the GOES satellites, while NASA/NOAA's GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland created the image. The NASA/NOAA GOES Project creates images and animations from GOES data.
At 11 a.m. EDT on Oct. 15, Gonzalo's maximum sustained winds increased to near 130 mph (215 kph) and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that fluctuations in intensity are expected over the next couple of days. Gonzalo's cloud-covered eye was located near latitude 23.5 north and longitude 68.0 west, about 640 miles (1,025 km) south-southwest of Bermuda. Gonzalo is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph (19 kph). The minimum central pressure recently reported by an air force reconnaissance aircraft was 949 millibars.
Tropical storm conditions are possible in Bermuda by late Thursday night, Oct. 16, and hurricane conditions are possible over Bermuda on Friday Oct. 16.
Ocean swells however, will be felt over a much larger area, reached the U.S. east coast on Oct. 16. Large swells generated by Gonzalo are affecting portions of the Virgin Islands, the northern coasts of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and portions of the Bahamas. Swells will reach much of the east coast of the United States and Bermuda on Thursday.
By late Oct. 16, Gonzalo is expected to turn to the northeast and the center is expected to approach Bermuda sometime on Oct. 17.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
On Oct. 13 at 7:11 UTC (3:11 a.m. EDT) the AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Gonzalo that showed powerful thunderstorms around the center of circulation. Cloud top temperatures were colder than -63F/-52C (purple).
Image Credit:
NASA
This animation of NOAA GOES-East imagery shows the movement of Tropical Storm Fay (top) and development and intensification of Hurricane Gonzalo over the Leeward Islands from Oct. 10-14.
Image Credit:
NASA NOAA GOES Project
Tropical Storm Gonzalo intensified into a hurricane late on Monday, Oct. 14 and is expected to become a major hurricane as it moves toward Bermuda. NASA's Aqua satellite saw powerful thunderstorms within the center of the storm that were dropping heavy rainfall.
At 5 pm EDT, on Oct. 13 Gonzalo had become a hurricane. At that time, the center of the storm was just 20 miles southeast of St. Martin. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that maximum sustained winds had increased to near 75 mph (120 kph) and additional strengthening was forecast. Gonzalo continued moving through the northern Leeward Islands overnight.
On Oct. 13 at 7:11 UTC (3:11 a.m. EDT) the AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Gonzalo that showed powerful thunderstorms around the center of circulation. Cloud top temperatures were colder than -63F/-52C.
On Oct. 14, a tropical storm warning remained in effect for the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy.
On Oct. 14 at 5 a.m. EDT the eye of Hurricane Gonzalo was located near latitude 19.6 north and longitude 64.4 west. That's about 90 miles (145 km) north-northeast of St. Thomas. Gonzalo was moving toward the northwest near 13 mph (20 kph) and a turn toward the north-northwest is forecast by late Wednesday. On the forecast track the center of Gonzalo will move over the open Atlantic north of Puerto Rico today. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110 mph (175 kph) and additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. NHC said that Gonzalo is expected to become a major hurricane today.
The current forecast track from the National Hurricane Center takes Gonzalo over the island of Bermuda as a hurricane on Friday/Saturday.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
This visible image from NOAA's GOES-East satellite on Oct. 13 at 1145 UTC (7:45 a.m. EDT) shows Tropical Storm Fay northeast of Bermuda and Tropical Storm Gonzalo over the Lesser Antilles.
Image Credit:
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
On Oct. 12 at 15:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. EDT), NASA's Terra satellite flew over Tropical Storm Gonzalo while it moved over the Lesser Antilles.
Image Credit:
NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team
The Eastern Caribbean islands were getting the brunt of Tropical Storm Gonzalo as the storm slowly moved through on Oct. 13. NASA's Terra satellite and NOAA's GOES-East satellite provided data on the storm. Gonzalo is the sixth named storm in the Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season.
On Oct. 12 at 15:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. EDT), NASA's Terra satellite flew over Tropical Storm Gonzalo while it moved over the Lesser Antilles. The MODIS instrument captured a visible image of the storm that showed a concentration of strong thunderstorms around the center of circulation and in a thick band east of the center.
A visible image from NOAA's GOES-East satellite on Oct. 13 at 1145 UTC (7:45 a.m. EDT) showed Tropical Storm Fay northeast of Bermuda and Tropical Storm Gonzalo over the Lesser Antilles. Fay appeared circular, but didn't have the signature shape of a tropical storm like Gonzalo, with bands of thunderstorms spiraling into the center. The image was created by the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Gonzalo is over the Lesser Antilles and affecting many eastern Caribbean islands so there are many warnings and watches in effect. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted the following: A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Guadeloupe, Desirade, Les Saintes, and Marie Galante, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, St. Maartin, Saba and St. Eustatius, Barbuda, Antigua, Anguilla, St. Kitts And Nevis, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra, U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case in the next 24 hours. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.
On Monday, Oct. 13 at 8 a.m. EDT, Tropical Storm Gonzalo had maximum sustained winds near 60 mph (95 kph). The National Hurricane Center expects strengthening during the next 48 hours and Gonzalo is forecast to become a hurricane tonight or Tuesday, Oct. 14. The center of Gonzalo was located near latitude 17.0 north and longitude 61.5 west. That's about 20 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Antigua and about 50 miles (75 km) north of Guadeloupe.
NHC said that Gonzalo is moving toward the west near 10 mph (17 kph). A turn toward the west-northwest is forecast today, followed by a turn toward the northwest by tonight. On the forecast track, the center of Gonzalo will move across the Leeward Islands today and near or over the Virgin Islands tonight.
The National Hurricane Center expects Gonzalo to intensify into a hurricane on Wednesday, Oct. 15 after having turned to the northwest. Gonzalo is then expected to move north-northeast and by pass east of Bermuda on Oct. 17.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
The GOES East satellite captured a visible image of two storms in the Atlantic at 2:45 p.m. EDT, a smaller Gonzalvo east of the Leeward Islands while Fay was northeast of Bermuda.
Image Credit:
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
Tropical Storm Gonzalo formed quickly on Oct. 12 just east of the Leeward Islands, triggering tropical storm warnings for many islands. NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured an image of the newborn storm on Sunday, Oct. 12, and Tropical Storm Fay northeast of Bermuda.
The GOES East satellite is a geostationary satellite managed by NOAA. At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland the NASA/NOAA GOES Project creates images and animations and today's visible image, taken at 2:45 p.m. EDT showed a smaller Gonzalvo east of the Leeward Islands while Fay was northeast of Bermuda.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Guadeloupe, Desirade, Les Saintes, Marie Galante, St.Martin, St. Barthelemy, St.Maartin, Saba, St. Eustatius, Barbuda, Antigua, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat A Tropical Storm Watch in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area...in this case within the next 24 to 36 hours.
On Sunday, Oct. 12 at 1:30 p.m. EDT, Tropical Storm Gonzalo had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph (65 kph) and is expected to strengthen over the next two days. Gonzalo was about 200 miles (320 km) east of Guadeloupe and 230 miles (370 km) east-southeast of Antigua, near latitude 16.4 north and longitude 58.4 west. Gonzalo was moving to the west at 10 mph (17 kph) and is expected to continue in that direction for the next two days before turning to the west-northwest.
The National Hurricane Center expects Gonzalo to move through the Leeward Islands early Monday morning, Oct. 12.
Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area by Monday night and Tuesday morning. Tropical Storm Gonzalo is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches across the Leeward Islands...British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Eastern Puerto Rico with isolated maximum totals of 12 inches possible. Swells generated by Gonzalo will affect the Leeward Islands tonight and Monday morning from Dominica northward and affect the U.S. and British Virgin islands by Monday afternoon. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
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