News Release

NASA sees weakening of Tropical Depression 4

Peer-Reviewed Publication

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Satellite View of TD4

image: On July 7, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 UTC), the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured this visible image of Tropical Depression 4 moving through the north central Atlantic Ocean. view more 

Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

NASA satellite imagery revealed that Tropical Depression 4 appears to be losing its punch, and the National Hurricane Center expects the storm to weaken.

On July 7, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 UTC), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, or MODIS, instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Depression 4 as it continued moving through the north Central Atlantic Ocean. The image showed that the depression consisting of a possible circulation center embedded within a very small area of intermittent convection. The MODIS image does not show much organization.

The National Hurricane Center, or NHC, noted that the area of convection (rising air that forms the thunderstorms that make up a tropical cyclone) have been gradually decreasing since July 6.

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression 4 was located near 15.6 degrees north latitude and 50.9 degrees west longitude. That's about 690 miles (1,115 km) east of the Lesser Antilles. There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Maximum sustained winds were near 30 mph (45 kph) with higher gusts, and these winds are probably associated with a few remaining squalls. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1,011 millibars. The depression was moving toward the west-northwest near 21 mph (33 kph), and this motion is expected to continue today, July 7.

Because Tropical Depression 4 is moving quickly into a relatively low-moisture environment the combination of its forward speed and the drier environment are expected to sap its strength and potential to develop thunderstorms.

The depression is forecast to degenerate into a remnant low pressure area tonight.

For updated forecasts, visit the NHC website: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov.

###


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.