Tropical Storm Frank powered up very quickly just off of the southwestern coast of Mexico since late Saturday, August 21. NASA infrared satellite data saw some strong areas of convection and powerful thunderstorms in Frank as the storm continues to strengthen.

Tropical Storm Frank on August 22 at 4:05 a.m. EDT and revealed five areas of strong convection and high, thunderstorm clouds in Frank’s circulation as cold as -63 Fahrenheit. Higher, colder clouds indicate stronger storms.

On Monday, August 23, a tropical storm warning is in effect for the coast of Mexico from Lagunas de Chacahua westward to Zihuatanejo. That means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in the warning area within 36 hours. A tropical storm watch is in effect for the coast of Mexico from west of Zihuatanejo to Punta San Telmo.

Tropical depression 9E (TD9E) was located off the southern coast of Mexico late Saturday night, August 21. It developed about 210 miles southeast of Salina Cruz, Mexico. By early on Sunday, August 22 (5 a.m. EDT), TD9E was 230 miles southeast of Puerto Escondido, Mexico and slowly moving away from land, west at 7 mph. On Sunday at 11 a.m. EDT, TD9E became Tropical Storm Frank.

Today at 8 a.m. EDT (5 a.m. PDT), Tropical Storm Frank’s maximum sustained winds were up to 60 mph, and strengthening is forecast. Frank is located about 105 miles south-southwest of Escondido, Mexico, near 14.3 North and 97.5 West. It has a minimum central pressure near 998 millibars and is crawling west near 4 mph. Frank is expected to turn to the west-northwest and move parallel to the coast of southern Mexico through Tuesday,

The eighth tropical depression of the Eastern Pacific Ocean hurricane season formed during the early morning hours of August 20, and the GOES-11 satellite captured infrared images of its birth.

Tropical Depression 8E (TD8E) this morning. TD8 poses no threat to land, and is forecast to keep moving away from land over the weekend.

At 8:30 a.m. EDT, TD8E had maximum sustained winds near 35 mph and was moving northwest at 7 mph. It is expected to turn to the west-northwest tonight and Saturday. It is located about 230 miles west of Manzanillo, Mexico, near 18.7 North and 107.8 West. TD8 has a minimum central pressure of 1004 millibars. TD8 could strengthen into a tropical storm for a brief time before it runs into cooler waters (cooler than 27 degrees Celsius or 80 degrees Fahrenheit) this weekend. If TD8E becomes a tropical storm, it will get the name “Frank.”

Tropical Storm Dianmu Strengthening

Tropical Depression 05W formed east of the island of Ishigakijima, Japan, then strengthened into Tropical Storm Dianmu. Two instruments on Aqua provided an infrared and microwave look at Dianmu and caught signs that the tropical storm was strengthening on its way toward South Korea. The name Dianmu is the name of the goddess of thunder and lightning in Chinese folklore.

Early on August 8, Dianmu formed in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean and by 2100 UTC (5 p.m. EDT) Dianmu had maximum sustained winds near 35 knots (40 mph) and was about 180 miles southwest of Okinawa, Japan. On August 9 at 04:35 UTC (12:35 a.m. EDT), the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Tropical Storm Dianmu. The AIRS infrared image showed very cold cloud-top temperatures and showed banding of strong thunderstorms around the north, east and south of the center of circulation.

Those cloud tops were so high that they were colder than -63 Fahrenheit. The center of circulation was also clearly visible in the infrared image and appeared as a small circle. At 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT), Dianmu’s maximum sustained winds were near 52 mph (45 knots). It was located about 180 nautical miles northwest of Okinawa, Japan. That’s near 29.2 North and 125.3 East.

Dianmu is moving north at 17 mph and creating 18-foot high waves. Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii forecast Dianmu to continue on a northward track in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. A ridge of high pressure sitting east of Japan is causing the storm to track north and it will continue in that direction for the next day. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects Dianmu to intensify because upper level winds will diminish.

Tropical Storm Colin just after it regained tropical storm strength late on August 5. Colin is now forecast to bring heavy rains and gusty winds to Bermuda before it heads into the north Atlantic this weekend.

After barely winning its battle with upper level wind shear Colin was again classified as a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida early in the evening of August 5, 2010.

Early on August 6 at 2:17 a.m. EDT, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured an infrared look at Colin’s thunderstorm temperatures and noticed some high, cold cloud tops, indicating strong thunderstorms.

A Tropical storm warning is now in effect for Bermuda. That means a tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within 36 hours. By Saturday, August 7, tropical storm force winds are expected to spread over Bermuda, and large and battering waves, especially along the south-facing beaches are expected to produce flooding. In addition to the flooding from the waves, expected rainfall between 3 and 5 inches may cause inland flooding.

At 11 a.m. EDT/AST on August 6, Tropical Storm Colin’s maximum sustained winds were back up to 45 mph and an increase in strength is possible especially tonight and Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center. Colin’s center was located near 27.1 North and 66.9 West. He was moving to the east-northeast near 7 mph. That track would bring Colin’s center just west of Bermuda (putting the strongest northeast quadrant of the storm over Bermuda). However, a slight change in track could bring Colin’s center over the island.

Yesterday Colin has grown in size. As a result of the storm’s growth, tropical storm-force winds now extend up to 105 miles from the center, making the storm up to 210 miles from end-to-end. Minimum central pressure is 1007 millibars.

Tropical Storm Conson and the conditions within the storm as it changes in strength on its track through the South China Sea. NASA’s Infrared imagery revealed some strong convection in the storm as it takes a more westerly route toward another landfall.

Tropical Storm Conson on July 14 at 1747 UTC (1:47 p.m. EDT), the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument captured a look at the storm’s cloud-top temperatures. Cloud top temperatures tell scientists how high thunderstorms are and that translates into strength because the higher and colder the cloud tops, the stronger the thunderstorms, and typically more rain falls from them.

Tropical Storm Conson’s thunderstorm cloud-top temperatures revealed 2 large areas of strong convection and icy cold (high, strong thunderstorms) cloud tops that were colder than -63 Fahrenheit. That means there was a lot of energy in Tropical Storm Conson yesterday when the Aqua satellite passed overhead. Animated infrared satellite imagery today, July 15, showed tightly wrapped convective banding around the storm’s center indicating its maintaining intensity.

On July 15 at 0600 UTC (4 a.m. EDT), Tropical Storm Conson’s maximum sustained winds were near 50 knots (57 mph). Conson was located about 290 nautical miles east-southeast of Hainan Island near 16.6 North and 113.3 East. It was moving west near 12 knots (13 mph).

Tropical Storm Conson is in an area of strong northeasterly vertical wind shear, blowing at a speed greater than 30 knots (34 mph). Despite the strong wind shear, the storm is maintaining intensity. However, that wind shear is pushing the strongest convection southwest of Conson’s center.

Typhoon Warning Center are forecasting Conson to keep tracking westward and cross Hainan Island in the next 24-36 hours (mid-day Eastern Time on Friday, July 16). Thereafter, Conson is expected to make landfall in northern Vietnam and dissipate over the weekend.