NASA"s Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite known as TRMM captured data on powerful Hurricane Odile revealing heavy rainfall from powerful thunderstorms as it made landfall in Baja California. Odile tied a record for strongest hurricane to hit the Baja in over 40 years.
Odile made landfall near Cabo San Lucas at 0445 UTC (12:45 a.m. EDT) and was moving northwest along the length of the peninsula of Baja California, then northeast to the northern end of the Sea of Cortez.
TRMM passed directly above hurricane Odile on September 15, 2014 at 0344 UTC (Sept. 14 at 1:44 p.m. EDT). That was about an hour before the strong hurricane hit Baja California near Cabo San Lucas.
TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR showed that Odile contained intense thunderstorms dropping rain at a rate of over 188.4 mm (about 7.4 inches) per hour in the hurricane's nearly circular eye wall.
One of the TRMM satellites most useful features has been its ability to provide vertical profiles of the rain and snow from the surface up to a height of about 12 miles (20 kilometers). At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland a simulated 3-D view of Hurricane Odile's rainfall structure was created using the satellite's radar reflectivity data. This view showed that the tops of many intense thunderstorms in Odile's eye wall were reaching heights above 12.5 km (about 7.8 miles).
By 2 p.m. EDT on September 15, Hurricane Odile's wind speeds decreased to about 90 mph (150 kph) after hitting land and winds are forecast by the NHC to slowly decrease to below hurricane force tomorrow. Odile is moving to the northwest at 13 mph (20 kph). It was centered near 25.1 north and 111.6 west, about 45 miles (70 km) east-northeast of Cabo San Lazaro, Mexico.
Torrential rainfall is predicted to continue near the weakening system. Flash floods and landslides with rainfall totals of over 152-305 mm (6-12 inches) are predicted by the NHC as Odile travels over the Baja California Peninsula. Western Mexico is expected to feel the effects of Hurricane Odile today and tomorrow as the hurricane continues to hug the coast. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Baja California Sur from Punta Abreojos to Santa Rosalia. A Hurricane Watch remains in effect for the west coast of Baja California Sur from north of Punta Abreojos to Punta Eugenia. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the East Coast of the Baja Peninsula from north of Santa Rosalia to Bahia De Los Angeles, the west coast of the Baja Peninsula from north of Punta Eugenia to San Jose De Las Palomas and mainland Mexico from Altata to Bahia Kino.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the west coast of The Baja Peninsula North of San Jose De Las Palomas to Cabo San Quintin, the east coast of the Baja Peninsula From North of Bahia De Los Angeles to San Felipe and mainland Mexico from north of Bahia Kino to Puerto Libertad.
Although Odile continues to weaken heavy rainfall and flooding pose serious threats.
Hal Pierce / Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
As Tropical Storm Odile continues to affect Mexico's west coast and stir up dangerous surf, NASA's TRMM and Aqua satellites provided forecasters information on clouds and rainfall in the coast-hugging storm. On September 12, A Tropical Storm Watch remained in effect from Manzanillo to Cabo Corrientes, Mexico.
Tropical Storm Odile formed on September 10, 2014 in the same area where Norbert formed.
Gathering Rainfall and Thunderstorm Height Information
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission or TRMM satellite flew over tropical storm Odile on September 11, 2014 at 0418 UTC (12:18 a.m. EDT) and collected rainfall data. A rainfall analysis made from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data was overlaid on an enhanced infrared image of Odile's clouds from NOAA's GOES-West satellite to show where the rain was falling within that cloud shield (or the extent of the clouds). The coupled image showed that Odile was dropping rain at the extreme rate of over 196 mm (7.8 inches) per hour in powerful thunderstorms near Odile's center of circulation.
TRMM satellite radar reflectivity (which means the satellite reads signals bounced off the clouds and back to the satellite) data was used to create a simulated 3-D view (toward the east) of Odile's rainfall structure. The 3-D image showed the most intense thunderstorms were reaching altitudes of over 14.7 km (about 9.1 miles). The release of this much energy would normally lead to intensification but northeasterly vertical wind shear was dampening Odile. By September 12, that wind shear was relaxing, which will enable Odile to strengthen.
Taking the Cloud Top Temperatures
Later on September 11, NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Odile and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument provided temperature data of Odile's cloud tops. The AIRS data confirmed the TRMM data, showing the coldest cloud tops in powerful thunderstorms circling the center of the storm. The AIRS data was false-colored to better show temperature differences at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The coldest cloud tops were near -63F/-53C in storms circling Odile's center.
Odile's Location on September 12
At 8 a.m. EDT on September 12, Odile's maximum sustained winds were near 60 mph (95 kph) and some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) advised that Odile could become a hurricane by tonight (Sept. 12). Odile's center was located near latitude 15.5 north and longitude 105.0 west. Odile is drifting toward the west near 2 mph (4 kph) and expected to move to the west-northwest and then northwest while picking up speed over the next day.
Dangerous Surf for Southwestern Mexico Over the Weekend
Odile's center is forecast will remain well offshore of the southwestern coast of Mexico through Sunday, September 14. Despite the center remaining off-shore, ocean swells are expected to affect the southwestern coast of Mexico over the next couple of days creating dangerous surf and riptides.
The NHC forecast calls for Odile to intensify into a hurricane and move in a northwesterly direction parallel to the west coast of Mexico. Odile is expected to follow close to the same track as hurricane Norbert and pass to the west of the southern tip of Baja California on Monday, September 15.
Hal Pierce/Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Wind shear is pushing the low-level center of circulation northeast of Tropical Storm Odile's central strong thunderstorms. That's what NOAA's GOES satellite and NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite showed in imagery of Tropical Storm Odile.
Early on September 11, Odile was close enough to the west coast of Mexico to generate a tropical storm watch from Lazaro Cardenas to Manzanillo, Mexico. In addition to the watch, rough surf is expected as Odile continues to parallel the coast on a track to the north. Swells from Odile are expected to begin affecting portions of the southwestern coast of Mexico in a day or so. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
When NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over Odile on September 11 at 8:19 UTC (4:19 a.m. EDT) the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard captured an infrared image of the storm as it continued moving through the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The VIIRS instrument revealed that powerful thunderstorms stretching high into the troposphere with cloud top temperatures colder than -63F/-53C, were displaced from the low-level center of circulation, which was northeast of those storms.
The National Hurricane Center noted that early morning GOES-East satellite visible images and microwave satellite imagery indicate that "the 15-20 knots of northeasterly shear continues to displace the surface circulation to the northeast of the convective canopy (thunderstorms."
VIIRS collects visible and infrared imagery and global observations of land, atmosphere, cryosphere and oceans. VIIRS flies aboard the Suomi NPP satellite, which is managed by both NASA and NOAA.
At 11 a.m. EDT on September 11, Odile's maximum sustained winds were near 50 mph (85 kph). Odile's center was located near latitude 15.3 north and longitude 104.2 west, about 230 miles (370 km) southwest of Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico. Odile is moving toward the west near 2 mph (4 kph) and NHC forecasters call for a slow westward drift or erratic motion through September 12. The estimated minimum central pressure is 999 millibars.
NHC noted that wind patterns will change in the next day allowing Odile to strengthen. In fact, the NHC noted that Odile may become a major hurricane by September 15.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
The Eastern Pacific Ocean continues to turn out tropical cyclones and NASA's Aqua satellite caught the birth of the fifteenth tropical depression on September 10 and shortly afterward, it strengthened into a tropical storm and was renamed Odile.
The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Tropical Depression 15-E on September 10 at 8:53 UTC (4:53 a.m. EDT) when it developed. The National Hurricane Center named the depression at 5 a.m. EDT, when the center was located near latitude 14.4 north and longitude 102.5 west.
AIRS infrared imagery reads temperature and identified the coldest temperatures in powerful thunderstorms circling the center of the newborn depression. Cloud top temperatures were near 220 kelvin (-63.6F/-53.1C).
By 11 a.m. EDT, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Odile. Maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph (65 kph) and Odile was drifting toward the north-northwest near 3 mph (6 kph) and is expected to drift to the north-northwest over the next two days. Odile was located near 14.9 north latitude and 102.9 west longitude, about 220 miles (350 km) south-southwest of Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico.
The National Hurricane Center noted that on the forecast track, Odile's center will remain offshore of the southwestern coast of Mexico through Thursday night, September 11. However, Odile is expected to create swells, rip currents and rough surf along the southwestern coast of Mexico over the next day or two.
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