September 2, 2010 - Tropical Storm Lionrock (07W), Tropical Storm Namtheun (09W), and Typhoon Kompasu (08W) off the Asian coast

Tropical Storm Lionrock (07W), Tropical Storm Namtheun (09W), and Typhoon Kompasu (08W) off the Asian coast

Three strong storms churned in the Pacific Ocean Basin on August 31, 2010 when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra satellite flew overhead, capturing this remarkable true-color image.

Typhoon Kompasu, in the upper right corner of the image, displays a large, distinct eye as well as strong apostrophe-shaped storm bands as it bears down on the small island of Okinawa which lies just to the northwest of the storm. Not long after this image was captured, the center of the Typhoon crashed across the northern half of the 65-mile long island before moving across the East China Sea and curving back to the east onto the Korean Peninsula. It is predicted to move across the Korean peninsula from west to east, then into the Sea of Japan by September 4, 2010.

In this image, Tropical Storm Namtheun (center) and Tropical Storm Lionrock (lower left) are in close proximity. Namtheun shows a distinct eye and a compact form while Lionrock appears more dense but less well formed. On August 31, 2010 it was predicted that these two storms were likely to merge before landfall, but they did not. On September 1, Tropical Storm Namtheun made landfall in the Fujian Province of East China, bringing rains and high wind. In the early morning hours of September 2, Tropical Storm Lionrock also landed in the Fujian Province. Local meteorologists have warned residents of potential mudflows and landslides that could be brought about by the torrential rains from these storms.

Image Facts
Satellite: Terra
Date Acquired: 8/31/2010
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC