NASA Satellite Sees Blake's Remnants Bringing Desert Rain to Western Australia 10 January 2020, by Rob Gutro

NASA satellite sees Blake's remnants bringing desert rain to Western Australia 10 January 2020, by Rob Gutro

southeastern corner of the region.

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (ABM) in Western Australia issued several flood warnings at 10:47 a.m. WST on Friday Jan. 10. Flood Warnings were in effect for four areas. There is a Major Flood Warning for the De Grey River Catchment and a Flood Warning for the Fortescue River, Salt Lakes District Rivers, and southwestern parts the Sandy Desert Catchment.

ABM said, "Major flooding is occurring in the Nullagine River in the De Grey river catchment. Most upstream locations have now peaked with minor to moderate flooding expected to continue during Friday before flooding starts to ease On Jan. 10, 2020, the MODIS instrument that flies throughout the area over the weekend. Heavy aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite provided a visible image rainfall from ex-Tropical Cyclone Blake has resulted of Ex-tropical storm Blake covering part of Western in in rapid river level rises, and areas of flooding Australia and still generating enough precipitation to call throughout the De Grey river catchment. Flooding for warnings. Credit: NASA Worldview has adversely impacted road conditions particularly at floodways resulting in multiple road closures."

Rainfall totals over 24 hours in the De Grey NASA's Aqua satellite provided a look at the catchment indicated 1.30 inches (33 mm) at remnant clouds and storms associated with Ex- Nullagine. tropical Cyclone Blake as it continues to move through Western Australia and generate rainfall On Jan. 10, areas of flooding were occurring in the over desert areas. Blake's rainfall has triggered Fortescue River upstream of Roy Hill. Twenty-four four area flood warnings in some parts of hour rainfall totals recorded over Fortescue River southeastern Western Australia. The remnants catchment include 0.4 inches (9.4 mm) at Newman have dropped over 10 inches of rain in the Sandy Airport and at Upper Portland. ABM expects Desert. flooding to continue in the Fortescue River catchment during Friday. Flooding could adversely Slow moving ex-Tropical Cyclone Blake is affect road conditions particularly at floodways. continuing to track south southeast and is Some roads may become impassable and some expected to weaken sometime on Friday. communities may become isolated. On January 10, 2020, the Moderate Imaging Flooding in the southwestern parts of the Sandy Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies Desert Catchment is expected to affect road aboard NASA's Aqua satellite provided a visible conditions. In the 24 hours to 9 a.m. WST today, image of Blake. The MODIS image revealed the Jan. 10, rainfall totals recorded over the Sandy elongated shape of the remnants that stretched Desert Catchment include 10.6 inches (270 mm) at from the central part of Western Australia to the Carnegie, 5.8 inches (148 mm) at Prenit Downs

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and 5.6 inches (142 mm) and 2.8 inches (71 mm) at Gruyere mine Airport.

In the Salt Lakes District, ABM issued a Flood Warning for the Salt Lakes District Rivers as flooding is occurring due to heavy rainfall. ABM's forecast calls for rainfall for the next 24 hours is 0.4 to 1.2 inches (10-30 mm) in the central and southern part of the district, with the possibility of isolated totals of 2 inches (50 mm). Flooding is expected to continue in the Salt Lakes District during Friday.

Blake is continuing to track slowly south-southeast over the Salt Lakes District and is expected weaken during the day.

NASA's Aqua satellite is one in a fleet of NASA satellites that provide data for hurricane research.

Tropical cyclones/hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA's expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

Provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center APA citation: NASA satellite sees Blake's remnants bringing desert rain to Western Australia (2020, January 10) retrieved 24 September 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2020-01-nasa-satellite-blake- remnants-western.html

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