NASA satellites track cyclone Fani along Eastern India's coastline

NASA's satellites Aqua and Terra tracked Tropical Cyclone Fani as it continued to move northward along the eastern coast of India. The satellites have been providing infrared, microwave and visible imagery of Fani.

Tropical Cyclone Fani continued to strengthen and move north through the Northern Indian Ocean on April 30 and May 1.

Fani has been located off the southeastern coast of India, north of the island of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is an island country located southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea.

On April 30 at 3:35 a.m. EDT (0735 UTC) the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite analysed cloud top temperatures of Tropical Cyclone Fani in infrared light.

AIR found cloud top temperatures of strongest thunderstorms as cold as or colder than minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 degrees Celsius) circling the centre and in a large band east of the centre. Cloud top temperatures indicate strong storms that have the capability to create heavy rain.

On May 1, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite provided a visible image of Fani.

Fani's center appeared to have an eye obscured by high clouds. Infrared imagery revealed that ragged eye and microwave imagery showed curved bands of thunderstorms wrapping into the eye.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects Fani to continue moving north and intensify slightly as it moves over warm waters. Fani is expected to move to the north-northeast.

The India Meteorological Department forecasts Fani to make landfall along the Odisha coastline between Gopalpur and Chandbali on May 3 at hurricane-strength.