Typhoon MA-ON Threatening Japan

Typhoon MA-ON was a category 2 typhoon on the Saffir/Simpson scale with wind speeds of about 85 kts (~98 mph) when the TRMM satellite captured those data shown above on 18 July 2011 at 0316 UTC. MA-ON had weakened considerably from a very powerful category four typhoon with wind speeds of 115 kts (~132 mph) on 15 July 2011. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data were used to produce the rainfall analysis shown above. This TRMM analysis shows that MA-ON still contained organized bands of very intense rainfall with the most intense precipitation located in the eastern side of the typhoon. MA-ON is predicted to cause heavy rain and batter Japan with category 2 typhoon force winds as it moves over southern coastlines in the next couple days.

TRMM image of typhoon MA-ON approaching Japan

Click here to see earlier TRMM information about MA-ON's formation.