An elongated north-to-south oriented atmospheric bore was observed on GOES-15 (GOES-West), GOES-14, and GOES-13 (GOES-East) 6.5 µm water vapor channel images (above; click to play animation; also available as an MP4 movie file) on the morning of 16 May 2015. This bore feature was located in the area where strong westerly to southwesterly mid-tropospheric winds were impinging upon a consolidating dryline — this dryline later moved eastward and acted as the focus for severe thunderstorms across Texas (SPC storm reports). GOES-14 had been activated to perform Super Rapid Scan Operations for GOES-R (SRSOR) duties beginning on 18 May.

Note that there were no parallel cloud rolls present on the corresponding GOES-15/14/13 0.63 µm visible channel imagery (below) — so this gravity wave bore feature was forming in clear air.

A comparison of 12 UTC El Paso, Texas (yellow) and Midland, Texas (cyan) rawinsonde data (below) showed the differences in vertical moisture profile to the west and to the east of the bore feature — especially in the 500-600 hPa layer, where a good deal of the signal contributing to the overall water vapor brightness temperature was originating from.

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Himawari-8 infrared imagery (above, at 2.5-minute time steps and available here as an mp4) shows the development of an eye in Typhoon Dolphin shortly after 1400 UTC when the storm was northwest of Guam. With the subsequent arrival of daylight, mesovortices were clearly seen within the eye on 2.5-minute interval rapid scan visible images (animated gif | mp4 movie file).

About 2 hours prior to eye formation, a Metop satellite overpass allowed the ASCAT instrument to provide surface scatterometer winds of Typhoon Dolphin, overlaid on a MIMIC Total Precipitable Water (TPW) image (below; TPW animation). The maximum TPW values were in the 60-65 mm or 2.4-2.6 inch range, and the highest ASCAT wind value was 68 knots in the eastern eyewall region of the storm.

During the preceding daylight hours as Category 2 intensity Typhoon Dolphin was approaching Guam, rapid-scan (2.5-minute interval) 0.5-km resolution Himawari-8 0.64 µm visible channel images (below; click image to play animation; also available as an mp4 movie file) revealed a number of large convective bursts — but no eye was yet apparent. As the center of Dolphin passed between the islands of Guam and Rota, the peak wind gust was 70 knots at Agana, Guam (PGUM) and 92 knots at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam (PGUA).

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The animation above (available here as an mp4, and here on YouTube) shows 11.22 µm infrared imagery at 2.5-minute time steps (bottom) and 10-minute time steps (top) from Himawari-8 on 14 May 2015. Category 2 intensity Typhoon Dolphin is approaching Guam, seen at the left edge of both panels in the frame. The 2.5-minute imagery gives a much better indication of the quick rise and decay of overshooting tops (IR brightness temperatures of the storm tops approach -95º C!). A 10-minute time step cannot fully resolve the evolution of these features. The 2.5-minute time step also better captures the divergent flow (and outward-propagating gravity waves) at the top of the central dense overcast. No eye was yet apparent in the infrared imagery, or on DMSP SSMI 85 GHz microwave imagery.

A similar animation from the previous day, 13 May, is shown here: gif, mp4, YouTube. The better organization of the storm on 14 May is readily apparent.

How high are the clouds in the Central Dense Overcast (CDO)? Cloud Heights are available from CLAVR-x (Clouds from AVHRR Extended). Data from Geostationary Satellites are processed and are available to download here. Values from COMS-1 and from MTSAT-2 (displayed with McIDAS-V) suggest maximum cloud heights near 55,500 feet.

The MIMIC Total Precipitable Water (TPW) product, below, showed that Typhoon Dolphin was able to tap rich moisture from the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) during the 13-14 May period; TPW values within the tropical cyclone circulation were often in the 60-65 mm or 2.5-2.6 inch range (darker red color enhancement).

Visible Imagery from Himawari-8, just after sunrise on 15 May, show continuous development of short-lived overshooting tops to the east of Guam. More information on the storm is available at the CIMSS Tropical Cyclones site, the JMA Tropical Cyclone site and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

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Following a period of rapid intensification, Super Typhoon Noul reached Category 5 strength late in the day on 09 May 2015 (ADT plot) as it slowly approached the northern tip of the Philippine island of Luzon. The Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) positioned one of the Himawari-8 rapid-scan “target” areas over the tropical cyclone, providing images at 2.5-minute intervals; 0.5-km resolution 0.64 µm visible (Band 4) images (above; click image to play animation; also available as an MP4 movie file and YouTube Video) showed intricate mesovortices within the eye, as well as gravity waves propagating radially outward from the eyewall region.

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