image: Tropical Depression Four formed in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean the evening of Aug. 21, 2006, is headed into the open Atlantic, and is expected to strengthen. There are now two storms in the eastern Pacific Ocean, Hector and now Ileana. This is an image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) on Tues. Aug. 22. This data was processed by NASA's GOES Project Science Office at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. In this GOES satellite image of the northern hemisphere, Tropical Depression #4 (TD4) can be seen on the far right off the African coast. On the far left, off the southwestern coast of Mexico, is Tropical Storm Ileana. Tropical Depression #4 In the Atlantic Set to Strengthen At 7:00 a.m. EDT, on Aug. 22, Tropical Depression Four (TD#4) had maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/hr) with higher gusts. The depression is forecast to become a tropical storm during the next 24 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center. At 8:00 a.m. EDT, TD #4 continues moving west-northwestward near 16 mph to the south of the Cape Verde islands. A turn toward the northwest is expected today. The center of tropical depression four was located near latitude 13.0 north, longitude 25.2 west or about 130 miles south-southwest of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands, off the African coast. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 millibars. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the Cape Verde Islands today, Aug. 22, as TD #4 is currently passing to the south and southwest of them. Outer rain bands and squalls will continue to affect the southern Cape Verde Islands today. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 6 inches in areas of higher terrain are possible over the southernmost Cape Verde Islands in association with the depression. These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mud slides. NASA is On-Location at the Cape Verde Islands for TD #4 Coincidentally, NASA scientists are currently operating a field mission to study the birth of hurricanes. The mission, called NAMMA, the NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA) campaign is a NASA-sponsored field research investigation using multiple research and observation methods to study the formation and evolution of tropical hurricanes in the eastern and central Atlantic; their impact on the U.S. east coast; the composition and structure of the Saharan Air Layer; and how aerosols may affect cloud precipitation and cyclone development. + NAMMA website Ileana and Hector Churn in the Eastern Pacific Meanwhile in the eastern Pacific Ocean, there are two systems that the National Hurricane Center is watching, although both are not expected to affect land. Tropical Storm Ileana as of 2:00 a.m. PDT (9:00 UTC) on Aug. 22, was located off the south-western Mexican coast near 14.0 North and 105.6 West. Ileana can be seen in this satellite image, churning to the left of Mexico. Ileana's movement is toward the west-northwest at around 12 knots (14 mph). Ileana's maximum sustained winds were 45 knots (52 mph) with gusts to 55 knots (63 mph). Tropical Storm Hector has been struggling in the last couple of days, but the National Hurricane Center predicts dissipation by Aug. 23 or 24 as Hector enters cooler waters and stable air. At 2:00 a.m. PDT on Aug. 22, Hector was located far west of Ileana in the open ocean, near 22.4 North and 136.5 West. Hector isn't visible on this satellite image, because he's hidden by the curvature of the Earth and far to the left of Ileana. Hector's movement is toward the west-northwest at around 4 knots (5 mph). Hector's maximum sustained winds were 35 knots (40 mph) with gusts to 45 knots (52 mph). view more
Credit: Credit: NASA GSFC/NOAA. Caption: Rob Gutro, NASA GSFC.