Images
April 9, 2026 - Tropical Cyclone Vaianu
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Strong winds from the edge of Tropical Cyclone Vaianu was whipping Fiji on April 7, 2026, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this true-color image.
Near the time this image was acquired, maximum sustained winds registered at about 110 miles per hour (177 km/h), placing it as the equivalent of a very strong Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It was moving southward, and by April 8 it was located about halfway between Fiji and New Zealand, according to MetService New Zealand winds had decreased to about 95 km/h (59 mph) near it center.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) expects Tropical Cyclone Vaianu to become extratropical on April 10, with maximum sustained winds of about 60 miles per hour (97 km/h).
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 4/7/2026
Resolutions:
1km (179.5 KB), 500m (569 KB), 250m (1.6 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Strong winds from the edge of Tropical Cyclone Vaianu was whipping Fiji on April 7, 2026, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this true-color image.
Near the time this image was acquired, maximum sustained winds registered at about 110 miles per hour (177 km/h), placing it as the equivalent of a very strong Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It was moving southward, and by April 8 it was located about halfway between Fiji and New Zealand, according to MetService New Zealand winds had decreased to about 95 km/h (59 mph) near it center.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) expects Tropical Cyclone Vaianu to become extratropical on April 10, with maximum sustained winds of about 60 miles per hour (97 km/h).
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 4/7/2026
Resolutions:
1km (179.5 KB), 500m (569 KB), 250m (1.6 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
