Tropical Depression 10P on January 27 at 12:17 UTC.

When Aqua passed over Tropical Depression 10P (TD 10P) on January 27 at 12:17 UTC (7:17 a.m. ET) it was located near 15.1 South and 169.7 W, had maximum sustained winds near 39 mph (35 knots) and a minimum central pressure of 996 millibars. That places TD 10P’s center about 45 nautical miles west-southwest of Pago Pago, American Samoa.

TD 10P is moving east-southeast at a speedy 20 mph (18 knots). The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectradiometer (MODIS) instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite took an infrared image of TD 10P earlier today, January 27, revealing the depression was strengthening quickly. Ground observations from the Ta’u Airport at American Samoa agreed with the 35 maximum sustained wind-speed satellite estimate. Ground observations noted that air pressure has dropped over the last day, to 997.5 millibars, which also indicates a strengthening storm.

Olga’s (red tropical storm symbol) rainfall on Jan. 27, still inland from the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria. It was dropping light to moderate (yellow and green) rainfall along a large area of the Australia coast.

On Thursday, January 28 at 09:00 UTC (4 a.m. ET) Olga was a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds near 34 mph (30 knots). Olga’s center was still inland in the Northern Territory, and south of the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Olga’s center was about 34 miles west of Borroloola and 400 nautical miles southeast of Darwin, Australia, near 17.3 South latitude and 135.9 East longitude. Olga was moving south-southwest near 9 mph (8 knots), and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects her center to remain over land. However, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting Olga to track north and back into the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Tropical Cyclone Olga over northeast Australia on January 24 at 4:10 UTC.

On Tuesday, January 25, a Cyclone Warning is in effect for coastal and island communities from Groote Eylandt, including Alyangula in the Northern Territory, to Burketown in Queensland. In addition, a Cyclone Watch is in effect for coastal and island communities from Cape Shield to Alyangula.

At 9:30 p.m. local Australia Time (7 a.m. Eastern Time) today, January 26, Olga the Low pressure area is located near 16.8 degrees South and 137.7 degrees East. That’s near the border of Queensland and the Northern Territory and about 170 kilometers east southeast of Borroloola and about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Mornington Island. Olga moving west northwest at 14 mph (23 kilometers per hour).

The Brief Life of Tropical Cyclone Olga

Olga, on January 25 at 1330 UTC (8:30 a.m. ET). heading west toward the Northern Territory.

Olga was a tropical cyclone that formed in the southwestern Pacific Ocean on Saturday, January 23, and crept toward Cairns, Australia. Olga made landfall in Queensland and weakened to a low pressure area.

Ogla made landfall on January 24 at Port Douglas as a category 1 storm. Its center came ashore at around 2 p.m. Australia local time near Cape Tribulation bringing gusty winds and rains.

Today, January 25, a Cyclone Watch continues for the southern Gulf of Carpentaria coast and islands from Port McArthur to Burketown. The low pressure area formerly known as Olga is located in the northwestern part of Queensland, Australia. At 10:00 p.m. Australia Darwin Local time (7:30 a.m. ET) Ex-Tropical Cyclone Olga was estimated to be 251 miles (405 kilometers) west of Georgetown and 93 miles (150 kilometers)southwest of Karumba, near 18.3 degrees South 139.7 degrees East.

Olga the low is moving west at 27 mph (44 kilometers/ph) across the base of Cape York Peninsula towards the Northern Territory/Queensland Border.

It the low moves into the warm waters of the southern Gulf of Carpenteria it could re-intensify into a tropical cyclone, but the Joint Typhoon Warning Center does not currently expect that to occur. Meanwhile, forecasters will keep an eye on the low as it brings rainfall into the Northern Territory.

The TRMM Precipitation analysis showed Magda was dropping about 2 inches of rainfall per hour west of the eye, and some of the intense thunderstorms near the eye were as high as 16 kilometers (~52,493 feet).

Tropical Storm Madga making landfall at 01:35 UTC on January 22.

Cyclone Magda made landfall from Collier Bay at around 5 a.m. local time on January 22 in northern Australia, NASA’s Terra satellite captured an image of the storm. Magda is now dissipating rapidly over land in northern West Australia.

The forecast path shown above is the Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s best estimate of the cyclone’s future movement and intensity over the weekend.