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Colder Water Chills Fernanda

Sea surface temperature image around Fernanda
Ocean water warmer than 26C is a necessary condition for tropical cyclones to support convection. A TMI based Sea Surface Temperature (SST) analysis for three days ending on 18 August 2011 is shown above. Tropical Storm Fernanda's path (overlaid in white) recently took it over ocean waters colder than 26 Celcius so it has weakened considerably. The TRMM satellite passed over Fernanda on 19 August 2011 at 0648 UTC. The TMI and PR rainfall analysis from this pass shows that there is now very little rainfall with the weakening storm. See earlier news about Tropical Storm Fernanda

Tropical Depression 08L Forms In The Caribbean

Tropical Depression 08L Forms In The Caribbean
The TRMM satellite had a good daytime view of the tropical wave that was upgraded to the Atlantic Ocean basin's eighth tropical depression on 19 August 2011 at 0300 UTC (18 August 11 PM EDT). An image from TRMM's pass on 18 August 2011 at 1757 UTC (1:37 PM EDT) is displayed above and reveals that the precipitation pattern was getting a little better organized but heavy rainfall didn't cover a large portion of 08L at that time. Tropical depression 08L is predicted by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to weaken to a remnant low in the next three days while producing rain over Honduras

Tropical Cyclone Forming in the Caribbean

TRMM Image of tropical cyclone forming in the Caribbean
On 18 August 2011 at 0307 UTC (11:07 PM EDT) the TRMM satellite traveled above an area of organized shower activity in the Caribbean Sea that the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts will soon become a tropical cyclone. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data show that this tropical wave south of Jamaica contained several areas of convective thunderstorms that were dropping rainfall at the rate of over 40 mm/hr (~1.6 inches). TRMM's PR data show that some thunderstorm towers in this stormy area were higher than 13 km (~8 miles).
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