image: NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview application provides the capability to interactively browse over 700 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and then download the underlying data. Many of the available imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, essentially showing the entire Earth as it looks "right now." This NOAA NASA Suomi NPP satellite image was collected on August 08, 2019. view more
Credit: Image Courtesy: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS).
NOAA-NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captured this image using NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview application on Aug. 08, 2019 and it shows Supertyphoon Lekima heading towards the coast of China as Typhoon Krosa brings up the rear moving slowly towards Japan.
Typhoon Krosa is currently located 167 nautical miles southwest of Iwo To, Japan. It is slowly tracking northeastward at one knot over the past six hours making it quasi-stationary as it intensified and maintained its 14 nautical mile eye.
Krosa's winds are steady at approximately 100 knots (115 mph) which on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale would make this storm just over the Category 3 designation.
Like Lekima, Krosa is able to intensify due to low vertical wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures in the area of 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) both of which are favorable to typhoon development and intensification.
For the time being, Krosa will remain quasi-stationary and continue to intensify for the next 12 hours. Then the equatorial ridge nearby will steer the storm northeastward. The subtropical ridge will rebuild and steer north-northwestward toward Japan. Krosa will gradually weaken over the next five days, still maintaining typhoon strength throughout that period.
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By Lynn Jenner
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center