GPM Sees Tropical Cyclone Berguitta Battering Mauritius

 GPM Sees Tropical Cyclone BERGUITTA Battering Mauritius

Tropical cyclone BERGUITTA was moving very close to the eastern side of the island of Mauritius when the GPM core observatory satellite passed above on January 18, 2018 at 0528Z (9:28 AM local time). This meant that the most destructive section of tropical cyclone BERGUITTA was passing very close to the eastern side of Mauritius. For this reason the eastern side of Mauritius would be expected to have had the highest winds, seas, and storm surge from BERGUITTA. The tropical cyclone was passing a little farther to the east of the island of Reunion.

Data collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments showed that BERGUITTA contained scattered bands of very heavy rain. One band of heavy rain was located southeast of Mauritius. GPM's radar (DPR Ku Band) indicated that these intense showers were dropping rain at the extreme rate of more than 176 mm (6.9 inches) per hour.

GPM's radar (DPR Ku band) was used in this this cross-section that shows the 3-D structure of precipitation within tropical cyclone BERGUITTA. A few storm tops in the intense rain band southeast of Mauritius were found by GPM's radar to reach heights of almost 12 km (7.4 miles).

BERGUITTA is predicted to start weakening tomorrow as the tropical cyclone moves to the south of the islands of Reunion and Mauritius. Increasing vertical wind shear and cooler sea surface temperatures are expected to sap BERGUITTA's strength.

 GPM Sees Tropical Cyclone BERGUITTA Battering Mauritius

Images and caption by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC)