Low pressure system off Ireland

In early June, 2015 a strong low pressure system over the North Atlantic Ocean brought rain and gusty winds to Ireland and the United Kingdom. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of the spiraling system on June 5.

A very deep low pressure area lies in the center of the spiral, just off the northwestern shore of emerald-green Ireland. Bands of cloud, containing rain and thunderstorms, swirl into the center of the low, and extend over the British Isles. A low pressure system will pull in air from the surrounding area, creating spiraling winds. Winds around the center of a low pressure spiral counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, as we see here (clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere) and towards the center of the system. Although the system was impressive on June 5, it intensified over the next several days. According to MarkVoganWeather.com, by June 7 the pressure in the unusually deep Atlantic low, which had been hanging around 980mb, was expected to drop lower to about 978mb off of Anglesey, brining northwest gales along the Atlantic west and south coasts of Ireland, England and Wales. Winds gust of up to 80 mph were possible, along with heavy rains.

Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC

NASA image use policy.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.