Weakening Tropical Cyclone Cebile Examined By GPM

Weakening Tropical Cyclone Cebile Examined By GPM

The GPM core observatory satellite passed above weakening tropical cyclone CEBILE on February 6, 2018 at 1151 UTC. CEBILE's maximum sustained winds had decreased to about 40 kts (46 mph). The satellite showed that most of the convective rainfall in the sheared tropical cyclone was southeast of CEBILE's center of circulation. Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data received by GPM with this pass showed that the northeastern side of the eye wall was eroding while continuous heavy precipitation was found by GPM in the southeastern quadrant of the storm. The area scanned by GPM's DPR is shown in lighter shades. GPM found that powerful storms on the southern side of the the tropical cyclone were still dropping rain at a rate of greater than 126.8 mm (4.99 inches) per hour. 

Weakening Tropical Cyclone Cebile Examined By GPM

This view (from the northeast) shows the 3-D structure of precipitation within tropical cyclone CEBILE. GPM's radar (DPR Ku Band) revealed that precipitation radar returns were weak to scattered on the northern side of the tropical cyclone while rainfall on the southern side was returning continuous solid echoes. The heaviest rainfall was shown southeast of CEBILE's center of circulation but the highest storm tops, reaching about 10 km (6.2 miles), were found by DPR in CEBILE's eye wall on the western side of the tropical cyclone.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) predicts that CEBILE will continue to weaken due to increasing vertical wind shear and cooling ocean waters. Dissipation is expected within about 36 hours. CEBILE is also transitioning to a subtropical low.

Weakening Tropical Cyclone Cebile Examined By GPM

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