GPM Sees Another Tropical Cyclone Forming

tropical cyclone 05A

Another tropical cyclone was caught forming by the GPM core Observatory satellite on November 4, 2015 at 1255 UTC. Deadly tropical cyclone Chapala had just dissipated over Yemen when tropical cyclone 05A started forming in the warm waters of the Arabian Sea west of India. GPM measured the rainfall within the forming tropical cyclone using the satellite's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments. GMI and DPR found that 05A had scattered light to moderate rainfall falling at a maximum rate of only 23.3 mm (.92 inches) per hour.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) predicts that 05A will head in the same general direction as tropical cyclone Chapala but is not expected to be as powerful as Chapala. The island of Socotra is predicted to get hit again in a couple days but this time with only tropical storm force winds.

Images and caption by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC)