The dramatic image on the right shows Typhoon Fitow as it was nearing Japan. The image was from data taken by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (or TRMM) satellite at 20:55 UTC on the 5th of September 2007 (5:55 am September 6th local time) and shows the horizontal pattern of rain intensity within the storm. Rain rates in the center of the swath are from the TRMM PR, and those in the outer swath come from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI). The rain rates are overlaid on infrared (IR) data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS). Fitow has a large, ragged eye (dark center). This is surrounded by a partial eyewall of moderate rain intensity (green areas) on the north and south and heavy rain (darker reds) on the east. The eyewall is broken to the west as evidenced by the lack of rain. At the time this image was taken, Fitow was a Category 1 typhoon moving north towards Japan with sustained winds estimated at 80 knots (92 mph) by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Click to See an animated Fade between VIRS and the TMI/PR rainfall analysis.

Fitow made landfall less than 24 hours later southwest of Tokyo on the night of 6 September (local time) as a Category 1 storm with sustained winds of 75 knots (86 mph). The next image on the right shows the storm just after it made landfall in central Japan. The image was taken at 18:23 UTC 6 September (3:23 am 7 September local time). The eye is no longer visible in the IR image. The center is barely visible (small break in the rain just onshore) as the circulation becomes disrupted over land. Some large rain bands containing moderate to heavy rain lie just offshore. Fitow is expected to weaken steadily as it continues to travel northward over the main island of Honshu.

TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency JAXA.

Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC)