On Feb. 13 at 0315 UTC (Feb. 12 at 10:15 p.m. EST), the MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite provided a visible image of Tropical Cyclone Uesi being adversely affected by vertical wind shear.

On Feb. 13 at 0315 UTC (Feb. 12 at 10:15 p.m. EST), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite provided a visible image of Tropical Cyclone Uesi being adversely affected by vertical wind shear. The image showed that the bulk of clouds were being pushed to the southeast of the center of circulation.

In general, wind shear is a measure of how the speed and direction of winds change with altitude. Tropical cyclones are like rotating cylinders of winds. Each level needs to be stacked on top each other vertically in order for the storm to maintain strength or intensify. Wind shear occurs when winds at different levels of the atmosphere push against the rotating cylinder of winds, weakening the rotation by pushing it apart at different levels. Northwesterly wind shear was affecting Uesi and pushing the bulk of clouds to the southeast of the center.

At 0300 UTC on Feb. 13 (10 p.m. EST on Feb. 12), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued the final bulletin on Tropical cyclone Uesi. At that time, Uesi was located near latitude 27.7 degrees south and longitude 161.1 degrees east, about 332 nautical miles southwest of Noumea, New Caledonia. Uesi had maximum sustained winds near 55 knots (63 mph/102 kph). The storm was moving to the south-southwest.

On Feb. 13 at 11:59 pm AEDT (Australia Eastern Time) or 7:59 a.m. EST, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (ABM) noted “Ex-tropical cyclone Uesi is moving rapidly southwards and will produce destructive wind gusts at Lord Howe Island over the next few hours.” ABM said that the system is expected to maintain an intensity equivalent to a category 2 tropical cyclone as it passes the island. For updates from ABM, visit: http://www.bom.gov.au/.

NASA’s Aqua satellite is one in a fleet of NASA satellites that provide data for hurricane research.

Tropical cyclones/hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA’s expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

https://www.windy.com/-Satellite-satellite?satellite,-21.600,153.911,5,internal

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The GPM’s core satellite passed over Uesi on Feb. 12 at 12:11 p.m. EST (1711 UTC). GPM found heaviest rainfall (pink) southwest of the center, falling at a rate of 1.6 inches (40 mm) per hour. Orange areas indicate rainfall rates of 1 inch (25 mm) per hour and scattered light rain appears in light blue from the fringe clouds falling at less than 0.2 inches (less than 5 millimeters) per hour. The GPM rainfall was overlaid on imagery from Japan’s Himawari-8 satellite.

Uesi is in the South Pacific Ocean and has been affecting New Caledonia. New Caledonia is a collectivity of France, located south of Vanuatu and about 1,210 km (750 miles) east of Australia.

The GPM’s core satellite passed over Uesi on Feb. 12 at 12:11 p.m. EST (1711 UTC). GPM found heaviest rainfall southwest of the center, falling at a rate of 1.6 inches (40 mm) per hour. Directly south of the center were areas where rainfall rates were falling at a rate of 1 inch (25 mm) per hour. Scattered light rain, falling at less than 0.2 inches (less than 5 millimeters) per hour appeared to be occurring in the rest of the storm.

On Feb 12 at 1 a.m. EST (5 p.m. New Caledonia local time), Meteo-France, which forecasts for New Caledonia, noted that Uesi’s maximum sustained winds were near 110 kph (68 mph/59 knots). Uesi was moving to the southwest. It was centered near latitude 23.5 degrees south and longitude 162.8 degrees east, about 450 km (280 miles) west-southwest of Noumea.

Meteo-France noted, “The rains eased in the afternoon, except over the Canala region where the showers are still continuing this evening. In the past 12 hours, we have noted 80 to 130 mm (3.1 to 5.1 inches) in the relief of the South and 80 mm (3.1 inches) in 3 hours in the town of Canala. The wind remains strong with gusts up to 90 kph (60 mph/49 knots) on the chain, on the West Coast and the South. Uesi is moving away from the Caledonian coasts, its influence is still felt throughout the country. Conditions remain disturbed overnight, with a gradual improvement in the north.”

Uesi is expected to turn to the southwest and become subtropical after a day or two, off the coast of eastern Australia.

Tropical cyclones/hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA’s expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA.

For updates from Meteo-France, visit www.meteo.nc/nouvelle-caledonie/cyclone/phenomenes-en-cours

Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

https://www.windy.com/-Satellite-satellite?satellite,-21.600,153.911,5,internal