image: NASA's Aqua satellite gathered infrared data on Vongfong on Oct. 6 at 0347 UTC, reading cloud top temperatures. Strongest storms, coldest cloud tops appear in (purple). view more
Credit: NASA JPL, Ed Olsen
Typhoon Vongfong has exited the Mariana Islands. Now, as the island of Iwo To begins recovery from Typhoon Phanfone, NASA's Aqua satellite is eyeing Typhoon Vongfong over 1,000 miles south of Iwo To. Although Vongfong is expected to turn north toward Iwo To, it is forecast to stay west of the island on its track.
On Oct. 6 at 0347 UTC (Oct. 5 at 11:47 p.m. EDT) the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder called AIRS that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured cloud top temperature data on Vongfong. AIRS data showed strongest thunderstorms within the typhoon circled the center and were as cold as -62F/-53C, indicating that they were high in the troposphere and capable of generating heavy rainfall. Vongfong appeared as a large storm on AIRS imagery and at the time of the image, it was moving west of the Mariana Islands.
Typhoon Vongfong had maximum sustained winds near 90 knots (103.6 mph/ 166.7 kph) on Oct. 6 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT). It was centered near 16.8 north latitude and 138.9 longitude, about 886 nautical miles (1,020 miles/1,641 km) southeast of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. It was moving to the northeast at 21 knots (24.1 mph/38.8 kph). The typhoon is generating very rough seas, up to 32 feet (9.7 meters) high in that region of the western North Pacific Ocean.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast calls for Vongfong to continues tracking west-northwest until Oct. 8, when it is expected to turn to the north (when it is expected to encounter an elongated area of low pressure) and head toward the east of island of Minami Dalto Jima, Japan.
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