Tropical Cyclone Claudia was losing its battle against wind shear as it moved away from Western Australia in mid-January 2020. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board the Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the weakening storm on January 14. The asymmetrical storm appeared elongated from east to west and had a cloud-filled center of circulation.

At 7:46 a.m. EST (8:46 pm WST) on January 14, 2020 the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (ABM) noted that Tropical Cyclone Claudia continued to move far from Western Australia. At that time it was located near latitude 18.3 degrees south and longitude 109.32 east, about 404 miles (650 km) northwest of Exmouth. It was moving to the west-southwest at 11 miles (18 kilometers) per hour. Maximum sustained winds had dropped to 47 mph (75 km/h).

Tropical Cyclone Claudia is expected to continue to track towards the west southwest and slowly weaken, then dissipate over open water by January 16.

Image Facts

Satellite: Aqua

Date Acquired: 1/14/2020

Resolutions: , ,

Bands Used: 1,4,3

Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC