image: On Nov. 6, a visible image of Tropical Storm Rina was acquired from the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite. view more
Credit: Credits: NOAA/NASA Rapid Response Team
NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite has been providing forecasters with imagery of Tropical Storm Rina as it moves north through the Central Atlantic Ocean.
Tropical Depression 19 strengthened into a tropical storm and was renamed Rina at 10 p.m. EST on Nov. 6.
On Nov. 6 the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible image of the storm as it was strengthening to tropical storm status. The image showed that Rina's overall cloud pattern increased in coverage in the eastern quadrant of the storm. There also appeared to be with a little more deep convection having developed near the low-level center of circulation. The image was created at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
By 4 a.m. EST (5 a.m. AST) on Tuesday, Nov. 7 the center of Tropical Storm Rina was located near 31.4 degrees north latitude and 49.8 degrees west longitude. That's about 1,370 miles (2,200 km) west-southwest of the Azores islands. Rina was moving toward the north near 12 mph (19 kph). This general motion accompanied by an increase in forward speed is expected through today. A turn toward north-northeast is forecast to occur by Wednesday night, Nov. 8.
Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. The estimated minimum central pressure of 1009 millibars is based on recent reports from a nearby buoy.
NHC forecaster Stewart noted "the cyclone should continue to accelerate toward the north today and then toward the north-northeast on Wednesday. By 48 hours, Rina is expected to get caught up in the mid-latitude westerlies and accelerate even more toward the northeast over the cold waters of the north Atlantic.
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For updated forecasts on Rina, visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov