On February 1, 2021 , the Himawari-8 satellite, operated by our partners at the Japan Meteorological Agency, spied three cyclones churning over the South Pacific, and another pushing across Western Australia.
The first and farthest east is Tropical Cyclone Ana, located roughly 330 miles south-southeast of Fiji. With sustained winds around 50 mph, Ana made landfall over Viti Levu, Fiji, on Jan. 30 and caused extensive damage to the island nation. Additionally, Tropical Cyclone Bina, located to the north-northwest of Fiji and following a path similar to that of Ana, is lashing the region as well, though it has weakened since the above imagery was captured.
The third, Tropical Cyclone Lucas, is spinning over the Solomon Sea, between the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. It is heading toward New Caledonia, and is forecast to swing back toward Australia as a weakened storm afterward.
A fourth, Tropical Cyclone Eighteen, is inland over Western Australia, and is tracking across the northwestern part of the continent. It is expected to emerge over the Indian Ocean and intensify, due to the favorable conditions.
This image was captured by the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) on Japan’s Himawari-8 satellite. This satellite, the first unit of the Japan Meteorological Agency's (JMA) third-generation of geostationary satellites, provides visible light and infrared images of the Asia-Pacific region. Himawari's data are vital for global geostationary coverage, which is why NOAA and JMA have agreed to mutual back-up arrangements for their geostationary systems.