NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Cyclone Bongani today and
provided some important data that have helped forecasters figure
out where the storm is headed, and helped them see that it has
changed course. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)
instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared, microwave
and visible images of Tropical Cyclone Bongani, and provided
data on cloud height and extent, cloud top temperatures, and
pressure. The infrared imagery also showed that Bongani has
elongated over the northern tip of Madagascar, indicating that
its interaction with the land has weakened the storm. High
thunderstorm cloud tops indicate a strong storm. When the
thunderstorm cloud heights start dropping, they become less
cold, and the thunderstorms are less powerful. Cloud-top
temperatures are important because they tell forecasters how
high thunderstorms are, and the higher the thunderstorm, the
colder the cloud tops and the more powerful the thunderstorms.
Today's (November 25) AIRS images showed high, cold,