Explosive cyclogenesis in the W Pacific! This video of the Himawari-8 RGB air mass product shows the explosive development of a low pressure system in the W Pacific. Multiple shortwave troughs are shown moving off of Asia and merging with a developing low pressure system near Japan. The system then moves over the Kiroshio Current E of Japan which injects low level heat and moisture into the system and creates a very unstable vertical profile. The system then rapidly intensifies to a hurricane fo

This video of the impressive GOES-16 one-minute high resolution infrared satellite imagery shows explosive cyclogenesis/rapid intensification of the hurricane force low pressure system in the W Atlantic from late last night into this morning. As a reminder, an extratropical/post-tropical low pressure system is classified as "hurricane force" when the winds are greater than or equal to 64 knots, a "storm" when the winds are from 48 to 63 knots, and a "gale" when the winds are from 34 to 47 knots.