![Track of Typhoon Lionrock [click to enlarge]](https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/08/Typhoon_Lionrock_track.jpg)
Track of Typhoon Lionrock [click to enlarge]
Typhoon Lionrock (12W) in the West Pacific Ocean briefly intensified to
Category 4 during the northeastward motion segment of its rather unusual track
(above) — the intensity estimate from the
Advanced Dvorak Technique peaked at 112.4 knots from 2140 UTC on 26 August to 0630 UTC on 27 August (
plot |
text).
During this period of intensification, 2.5 minute interval rapid-scan Himawari-8 Visible (0.64 µm) and Infrared Window (10.4 µm) images (below; also available as a large 85 Mbyte animated GIF) revealed complex patterns of cloud-top radial and transverse banding. Surface mesoscale vortices were also seen at times within the open eye feature.
![Himawari-8 0.64 µm Visible (top) and 10.4 µm Infrared Window (bottom) images [click to play MP4 animation]](https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/08/480x1280_AHIM08_B313_HIM08_VIS_IR_LIONROCK_27AUG2016_2016239_222215_0002PANELS.GIF)
Himawari-8 0.64 µm Visible (top) and 10.4 µm Infrared Window (bottom) images [click to play MP4 animation]
A few hours later, the Category 3 intensity typhoon continued to exhibit a well-defined eye structure in both DMSP-15 SSMI Microwave (85 GHz) and Himawari-8 Infrared Window (10.4 µm) images around 18 UTC
(below).
![DMSP-15 SSMI Microwave (85 GHz) and Himawari-8 Infrared Window (10.4 µm) images [click to enlarge]](https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/08/160827_18utc_msp15_ssmi_himawari8_infrared_Typhoon_Lionrock_anim.gif)
DMSP-15 SSMI Microwave (85 GHz) and Himawari-8 Infrared Window (10.4 µm) images [click to enlarge]
During the nighttime hours preceding the intensification to Category 4, a comparison of Suomi NPP VIIRS Day/Night Band (0.7 µm) and Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images
(below; courtesy of William Straka, SSEC) showed the eye of Lionrock at 1631 UTC on 26 August.
![Suomi NPP VIIRS Day/Night Band (0.7 µm) and Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images [click to enlarge]](https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/08/160826_1631utc_viirs_dnb_infrared_Typhoon_Lionrock_anim.gif)
Suomi NPP VIIRS Day/Night Band (0.7 µm) and Infrared Window (11.45 µm) images [click to enlarge]
===== 28 August Update =====
![Himawari-8 0.64 µm Visible (top) and 10.4 µm Infrared Window (bottom) images [click to play MP4 animation]](https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/08/480x1280_AHIM08_B313_HIM08_VIS_IR_LIONROCK_28AUG2016_2016241_064945_0002PANELS.GIF)
Himawari-8 0.64 µm Visible (top) and 10.4 µm Infrared Window (bottom) images [click to play MP4 animation]
Typhoon Lionrock again intensified to a Category 4 storm on 28 August; a comparison of 2.5 minute interval rapid-scan Himawari-8 Visible (0.64 µm) and Infrared Window (10.4 µm) images is shown above (also available as a large 68 Mbyte
animated GIF).