Imani Reaches Cyclone Status “By the Tail”

Cyclone Imani on March 25 at 0747 UTC (3:47 a.m. EDT, showing Imani developed a “tail” of clouds stretching southeast of its center. The white area is outside of the satellite’s “vision.”

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Cyclone Imani on March 25 at 0747 UTC (3:47 a.m. EDT) and it showed Imani developed a “tail” of clouds, extending to its southeast.

This morning, March 25, at 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT) Imani had maximum sustained winds near 80 mph (70 knots). Cyclone-force winds extended up to 30 miles from its center, while tropical storm-force winds extended as far as 85 miles from its center. Cyclone Imani was located about 780 nautical miles southwest of the Cocos Islands near 19.1 South and 85.5 East. It was moving south-southeast near 9 mph (8 knots) and kicking up 16 foot-high seas.

Tropical Storm Omais Weakens and Doubles in Size

Tropical storm Omais has run into wind shear in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, but as it has weakened overnight it has also doubled in size. NASA’s Aqua satellite has captured both infrared and visible images early this morning of the larger Omais.

Late yesterday, March 24, Omais strengthened to (63 mph) 55 knots and now that it has run into an environment with stronger wind shear, it has already weakened. The wind shear has increased because of the approach of a frontal system which is currently about 215 nautical miles northwest of the storm.

This morning at 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT) Omais’ maximum sustained winds were down to 52 mph (45 knots). Omais, known in the Philippines as “Agaton,” is now about 515 miles north-northwest of Palau, Micronesia, near 15.3 North and 131.5 East. It’s a slow moving storm, creeping along at 5 mph (4 knots) in a north-northwesterly direction.

As the storm continues to weaken, the reach of its tropical storm-force winds is expanding over a larger area. On March 24, tropical storm-force winds of 39 mph extended 30 miles out from the center. Now that Omais has weakened winds of that same strength extend as far as 65 miles from the center, so the area of tropical storm-force winds has more than doubled overnight.