NASA MODIS Image of the Day: February 8, 2012 – Tropical Cyclone Jasmine (10P) off Australia
On February 5, 2012 NASA’s Terra satellite passed over Tropical Cyclone Jasmine, allowing the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board to capture this true-color image of the storm as it strengthened over the waters off of Australia.
Jasmine’s distinct apostrophe shape can be seen as it spins over the Coral Sea.
The eastern coast of Queensland, Australia can be seen in the lower left corner, while Papua New Guinea lies in the upper left section of the image. Jasmine formed as a tropical storm over the South Pacific Ocean on February 4, when the low pressure area initially called System 95P strengthened. By February 5, Jasmine’s maximum sustained winds were near 45 knots (52 mph/83 kph), and the storm reached Tropical Cyclone status the next day. On February 7 at 11:00 p.m. local time, the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department reported that Severe Tropical Cyclone Jasmine was located near 18.5 South 165.4. This is about 230 km south of Port Vila and 120 km southwest of Tanna, Vanuatu. The advisory issued by this Department at 8:58 a.m. local time on February 8 warns that very rough seas with phenomenal swells are expect over all open waters of Vanuatu, and that heavy rainfall and flooding, including coastal flooding is expected, mostly in Shefa and Tafea Provinces. Jasmine is expected to make landfall in Vanuatu at about 1:00 p.m. local time (02:00 UTC) on February 8 as a strong Category 1 Tropical Cyclone with one-minute maximum sustained winds of about 80 knots (92 mph/148 kph).
