July 5, 2013 - Tropical Storm Cosme (03E) off Mexico

Tropical Storm Cosme (03E) off Mexico

On June 26, 2013 the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) flying aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured a true-color image of the sprawling Hurricane Cosme. This image was captured at 21:35 UTC (5:35 p.m. EDT).

At 5:00 a.m. EDT that same day Cosme's center was located just 15 miles (25 km) east of Mexico's small Clarion Island, at 18.4 north and 114.5 west. Cosme's maximum sustained winds were near 80 mph (130 kph), and the storm was moving to the west-northwest near 14 mph (22 kph). At the time this image was captured, the island was still under the storm’s rain bands.

Cosme developed from an area of low pressure embedded in a monsoon trough. First noted on June 20, by June 23 it had developed spiral bands and had developed to Tropical Storm Cosme, according to National Hurricane Center (NHC). It intensified to a Category 1 hurricane on June 24, but as it entered cooler waters, Cosme weakened to tropical storm status on June 26.

Cosme’s center stayed well off of mainland Mexico, but heavy rain found in the outer bands of the large storm brought flooding to parts of Mexico’s coast. At least 24 landslides and several mud slides were reported. Three people were killed by floodwaters, and a storm-related airplane crash killed one and injured 19 others.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 6/26/2013
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC