The hurricanes were images by NASA's Terra satellite

Aug 31, 2015 21:01 GMT  ·  By

Over the weekend, on August 29, NASA's Terra satellite, launched back in 1999 and designed to keep tabs on our planet's environment and climate, witnessed three category 4 hurricanes hovering over the Pacific Ocean at the same time. 

The storms, named Hurricane Kilo, Hurricane Ignacio and Hurricane Jimena, were imaged by the space agency's satellite moving across the Central and the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

NASA researchers say the views delivered by the Terra satellite, available below, mark the first time this season three category 4 hurricanes have been spotted over the Pacific Ocean at the same time.

“This is the first time there have been three active hurricanes in the Eastern or Central Pacific Ocean this season, and they're all major hurricanes,” they say.

Then again, folks over at The Weather Channel say these storms are a world first altogether, in that three such powerful storms have never before been documented in the Central and the Eastern Pacific Ocean simultaneously.

“This is the first recorded occurrence of three Category 4 hurricanes in the central and eastern Pacific basins at the same time,” they write, citing hurricane specialist Eric Blake of the National Hurricane Center.

The same Eric Blake reportedly said that no three category 3 hurricanes have ever been reported at the same time over this part of the Pacific Ocean, so apparently, Mother Nature skipped a step when creating these category 4 ones.

“In addition, it's also the first time with three major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger) in those basins simultaneously,” The Weather Channel explains.

The hurricanes should weaken over the coming week

As noted, it was on Saturday, August 29, that NASA's Terra satellite imaged Hurricane Kilo, Hurricane Ignacio and Hurricane Jimena moving almost in perfect formation across the Central and the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

NASA researchers say that, the following day, on August 30, Hurricane Kilo was reported at a distance of 1,210 miles (about 1,950 kilometers) west-southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Ignacio and Jimena, on the other hand, were documented 515 miles (nearly 830 kilometers) and 1,815 miles (roughly 2,920 kilometers) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, respectively.

Specialists estimate Hurricane Kilo will begin to weaken sometime around Thursday, September 3. As for Ignacio and Jimena, they should begin to lose strength through Tuesday, September 2.

Although somewhat stronger than the others and, therefore, more dangerous, Hurricane Kilo is expected to remain over open waters until weakening and fading away, and so is not considered a threat.

Hurricane Ignacio, however, is expected to bring heavy rains, high winds and even a 6-meter (almost 20 feet) sea level rise to the north of Hawaii. The storm should move by the northeast of the big island on Monday and then the northeast of the smaller islands on Tuesday.

Apart from Hawaii, the storm is believed to be a threat to the Philippines, Japan and Taiwan, which also risk experiencing heavy rains, powerful winds and storm surge.

Hurricane Jimena is proving a tad moody and so specialists haven't yet managed to determine the exact path it will follow over the next few days. They suspect it will pass a wee close to Hawaii, but not close enough to warrant any special measures to protect people and infrastructure.

More information should soon become available, so keep an eye on this page for updates.

Hurricanes Kilo (left), Ignacio (center), and Jimena (right) lined up across the Central and Eastern Pacific Ocean
Hurricanes Kilo (left), Ignacio (center), and Jimena (right) lined up across the Central and Eastern Pacific Ocean

Photo Gallery (2 Images)

NASA's Terra satellite launched in December of 1999
Hurricanes Kilo (left), Ignacio (center), and Jimena (right) lined up across the Central and Eastern Pacific Ocean
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