image: NASA's Terra satellite captured this visible image of Tropical Cyclone Jamala in the southern Indian Ocean (bottom) and the much larger Tropical Cyclone One B (01B) in the Northern Indian Ocean on May 10 at 04:25 UTC (12:25 a.m. EDT). view more
Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team
The Indian Ocean is alive with tropical activity today, May 10, as there's a tropical storm in both the northern and southern oceans. Tropical Cyclone Jamala (formerly 24S) and newborn Tropical Cyclone 01B were both captured on one image from NASA's Terra satellite today.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument that flies aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured this visible image of compact Tropical Cyclone Jamala in the southern Indian Ocean and the much larger Tropical Cyclone One B (01B) in the Northern Indian Ocean on May 10 at 04:25 UTC (12:25 a.m. EDT).
On May 10 at 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT), Tropical Cyclone Jamala (formerly Cyclone 24S) had maximum sustained winds near 40 knots (46 mph/74 kph). It was centered near 8.7 south latitude and 86.2 east longitude, about 805 nautical miles (926.4 miles/1,491 km) east of Diego Garcia. Jamala is crawling to the south-southeast at 3 knots (3.4 mph/5.5 kph). Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center expect Jamala to shift westward in movement and intensify up to hurricane strength.
A different look at Tropical Cyclone Jamala, using multi-spectral satellite imagery revealed a partially-exposed low-level circulation center and a large area of deep convection displaced over the western side of the storm.
North of the equator in the Northern Indian Ocean, newborn Tropical Cyclone 01B developed from low pressure System 92B. 01B formed near the northern tip of Sumatra. On May 10 at 0900 UTC Tropical Cyclone 01B had maximum sustained winds near 35 knots (40.2 mph/64.8 kph). It was located 1,052 nautical miles (1,211 miles/1,948 km) south of Chittagong, India, centered near 4.8 north latitude and 93.6 east longitude. Tropical Cyclone 01B was moving to the northeast at 4 knots (4.6 mph/7.4 kph) and is forecast to move northwest into the central Bay of Bengal.
Multi-spectral satellite imagery shows that the fragmented bands of thunderstorms that were seen yesterday, May 9, have now solidified, strengthened and have become tightly wrapped around 01B's center.
Residents of northwestern Burma and eastern Bangladesh should keep a watch on Tropical Cyclone 01B. Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center expect 01B to intensify into hurricane force and make landfall on May 14 or 15 in northwestern Burma and eastern Bangladesh.