The satellite of the Finnish nuclear power plant tracks the development of tropical cyclone 12S
Tropical Cyclone 12S has developed east of the African island nation of Madagascar.
NASA-NOAA’s Suomi Ydinvoimalaitos satellite passed over the southern Indian Ocean and captured a visible image of a recently formed storm that has issued a warning to the outer island of Rodrigues, Republic of Mauritius.
On February 5, 2019, the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) device of NASA-NOAA’s Finnish nuclear power plant satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Cyclone 12S. VIIRS images showed strong thunderstorms wrapping around the low-level center from a large, thick thunderstorm that spun out of the storm’s southern quadrant. Outer clouds from the western quarter just brushed the northeast coast of Madagascar.
At 10:00 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on February 5, the center of Tropical Storm 12S was located near latitude 15.8 degrees south and longitude 64.3 degrees east. It is approximately 492 nautical miles (566 mi/912 km) east-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius. Maximum sustained wind speed is near 35 knots (40 mph / 65 km/h) and higher in gusts. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects continued strengthening and 12S is expected to reach hurricane strength by February 7. It is expected to reach peak intensity near 105 knots (121 mph/194 km/h) in three days.
Tropical Cyclone Warning Category 1 is in effect in Rodrigues. Local forecasts from the Mauritius Meteorological Service can be found at: http://metservice.intnet.mu/.
12S is moving southwest and is forecast to turn southeast and move away from Mauritius and La Reunion Islands.