image: NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over Tropical Storm Pawan or 06A on Dec. 5, 2019 as it was moving through the western Arabian Sea, spreading clouds as far northwest as Oman and Yemen on its way toward Somalia. view more
Credit: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS)
NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over the Arabian Sea and captured a visible image of Tropical Storm 06A, now renamed Tropical Storm Pawan.
Visible imagery from NASA satellites help forecasters understand if a storm is organizing or weakening. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard Suomi NPP provided a visible image of 06A on Dec. 5. VIIRS showed Tropical Storm Pawan or 06A was moving through the western Arabian Sea, spreading clouds as far northwest as Oman and Yemen on its way toward Somalia. Satellite imagery has shown limited deep convection and development of strong thunderstorms over the partially exposed low-level circulation center.
On Dec. 5, at 4 a.m. EST (0900 UTC), Tropical Cyclone Pawan (06A) was located near latitude 9.5 degrees north and longitude 55.9 degrees east, about 462 miles south-southeast of Salalah, Oman. The storm was moving to the west and had maximum sustained winds 40 knots (45 mph/74 kph). The storm is expected to weaken over the next day as it approaches Somalia.
Tropical Cyclone Pawan (06A) is in the process of turning west-southwest and is expected to make landfall in Somalia by Dec. 7.
Tropical cyclones and hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA's expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.
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