image: This infrared image of Tropical Depression Noru was taken Aug. 8 at 0321 UTC (Aug. 7 at 11:21 p.m. EDT).) by NASA's Aqua satellite. Strongest storms (purple) were over the Sea of Japan. view more
Credit: Credits: NASA JPL, Ed Olsen
NASA Infrared imagery showed warming cloud top temperatures in Tropical Depression Noru as it continued weakening over Japan.
The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite looked at cloud top temperatures in Tropical Depression Noru using infrared light. The AIRS data were taken on August 8 at 0321 UTC (August 7 at 11:21 p.m. EDT). The image showed cloud top temperatures had warmed since Noru made landfall. Basically, the higher the cloud tops, the colder and stronger the storms than make up the tropical cyclone. So, infrared light as that gathered by the AIRS instrument can identify the strongest sides of a tropical cyclone. The AIRS image showed that the coldest clouds were located over the Sea of Japan. The infrared data was false-colored at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, where AIRS data is managed.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre noted that animated enhanced infrared satellite imagery showed rapidly decaying deep convection associated with a disorganized low-level circulation center. Animated radar imagery also showed a poorly-defined low-level center of circulation with fragmented banding of thunderstorms, primarily over land.
At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on Aug 8 the center of Tropical Depression Noru was located near 38.5 degrees north latitude and 139.4 degrees east longitude. That's about 155 nautical miles southwest of Misawa, Japan. Maximum sustained winds were near 28.7 mph (25 knots/46.3 kph).Noru was moving to the east-northeast at 9.2 mph (8 knots/14.8 kph).
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center said that Noru is forecast to track eastward over Honshu and expected to dissipate over land later in the day on August 8.
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By Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center