image: On Sept. 23, 2018 at 10:42 a.m. EDT (1442) NOAA's JPSS-1 satellite captured this visible image of the remnants of Tropical Depression Kirk. view more
Credit: Credit: NOAA/NRL
Tropical Storm Kirk formed on Saturday, Sept. 22. By Monday, Sept. 24, Kirk lacked the closed circulation that is a prerequisite for tropical cyclone status. The NOAA-20 satellite provided a visible image of the storm at its peak.
On Sept. 23, 2018 at 10:42 a.m. EDT (1442) NOAA's JPSS-1 (NOAA-20) satellite captured this visible image of Kirk at the height of its strength when it was a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph (65 kph). NOAA-20 is the second in a series of five polar-orbiting satellites to monitor the Earth's atmosphere, land and oceans. NASA builds the JPSS series of satellites and NOAA operates them.
At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on Sept. 24 the remnants of Kirk were located near latitude 10.0 degrees north and longitude 39.5 degrees west. That's about 1,070 miles (1,725 km) west-southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands and about 1,470 miles (2,365 km) east of the Windward Islands.
The remnants are moving toward the west near 23 mph (37 kph) and this general motion is expected to continue over the next few days. Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours.
The remnants of Kirk will be monitored during the next few days in case regeneration into a tropical cyclone should occur.
By Rob Gutro NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
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