Nalgae formed as a tropical depression over the western Pacific Ocean on September 27, 2011. Within two days, it had strengthened into a typhoon. On September 29, the U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) reported that Nalgae had maximum sustained winds of 70 knots (130 kilometers per hour) and gusts up to 85 knots (155 kilometers per hour).
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this natural-color image of Nalgae on September 29, 2011. Although the storm lacks a distinct eye, it has the spiral shape characteristic of strong storms.
As of September 29, Nalgae was located roughly 645 nautical miles (1,195 kilometers) east-northeast of Manila, Philippines. The JTWC forecast that Nalgae would continue moving westward, in the direction of the Philippines and mainland China. Typhoon Nesat took a similar path just days earlier.
NASA image courtesy MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC. Caption by Michon Scott.
