Tropical Disturbances in both Hemispheres
Morphed Total Precipitable Water for the 24 hours ending 0100 UTC on 19 February 2019 (Click to enlarge)
Morphed Total Precipitable Water imagery (from this site) for the 24 hours ending at 0100 UTC on 19 February 2019, above, shows two Tropical disturbances spinning on either side of the Equator. Cyclone Oma in the Southern Hemisphere was northwest of New Caledonia in the Coral Sea. A second disturbance over the north Pacific, albeit very close to the Equator, was near Pohnpei and will pass near Chuuk later this week. Interests in Micronesia should pay attention to this area of disturbed weather.
Himawari-8 Clean Window imagery (10.41 µm) (courtesy JMA), below, shows the better organization of Oma in contrast to the more disorganized nature of the tropical wave over Pohnpei.
Himawari-8 AHI Clean Window (10.41 µm) Infrared Imagery, 1400 UTC 18 February – 0230 UTC 19 February 2019 (Click to play animated gif)
Refer to the CIMSS Tropical Webpage (Link) for more information on Oma. The National Weather Service on Guam is issuing statements on the tropical system in Micronesia. (From 0245 UTC on 19 February 2019, for example) (Update: This is now Tropical Depression 02W; a projected path as of 1200 UTC on 19 February is here. The current forecast has this storm achieving typhoon status late Wednesday).
