September 2, 2013 - Tropical Storm Ivo (09E) off Baja California

Tropical Storm Ivo (09E) off Baja California

The ninth tropical depression of the Eastern Pacific Ocean hurricane season strengthened into large Tropical Storm Ivo on Aug. 23, about 8:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (15:00 UTC). Five and one-half hours later, at 1:30 pm PDT (20:30 UTC) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of the storm spinning off of Baja California. At that time, Ivo had no central eye, and the surrounding clouds were widespread, but somewhat disorganized.

At 2:00 p.m. PDT (21:00 UTC) the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Ivo was located at 19.5 N 111.8W, about 265 miles (425 km) south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Maximum sustained winds were 45 mph (75 km/h). Tropical storm force winds extended outward up to 176 mi (280 km) from the center, and Ivo was moving northwards at about 6 mph (9 km/h).

Although Ivo was not a strong storm, with maximum sustained winds only of 45 mph (75 km/h), it was a heavy soaking storm, and caused rains and flooding across Baja California, Mexico and the southwestern United States.

The NHC issued its last advisory on the system at 2 p.m. PDT (21:00 UTC) on August 25, stating that Ivo had become a large swirl of low-to mid-level clouds with weak shower activity at that time, and was bringing rain to the northern Baja California Peninsula, northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Flooding from this system continued in the United States until August 26, and the system finally completely dissipated on August 28.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 8/23/2013
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC