An infrared NASA eye sees a weaker System 92B
System 92B appears to have weakened in the last day as an infrared look at the tropical low pressure area's cloud temperatures have shown. NASA's AIRS instrument is an infrared "eye in the sky" that recently flew over the weaker tropical low pressure area.
On May 22 at 19:29 UTC/3:29 p.m. EDT, NASA's Aqua satellite passed over System 92B and infrared data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument and the SSMIS instrument saw patchy deep convection flaring and dissipating over the western portion of a low-level circulation center. Earlier on May 22, the areas of strong thunderstorms were more persistent west of the center of circulation.
The Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) and the Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder (SSMIS) are satellite passive microwave radiometers. This series of instruments has been carried onboard Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellites since 1987.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) noted that System 92B has weakened in response to persistent easterly vertical wind shear. The JTWC expects that wind shear to continue for another day.
On May 23 at 02:30 UTC (May 22 at 10:30 p.m. EDT), the center of System 92B was located near 16.2 north latitude and 91.0 east longitude, about 370 nautical miles south of Chittagong, Bangladesh. Maximum sustained winds are between 20 and 25 knots, and minimum central pressure is near 1002 millibars.
JTWC noted "based on the observed weakening trend and considering the potential for redevelopment if vertical wind shear relaxes over the next few days, the potential for the development of a significant tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours is downgraded to medium."
Provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
