Cyclones Amara and Bruce

[hurricanes1234]

I would like to share this image of Cyclones Amara and Bruce at 19:30 UTC on December 20th 2013. At 18:00 UTC, the JTWC's Best Track for that synoptic time stated that they were both Category 4s (SSHS). Cyclone Bruce, to the right, was the stronger cyclone with 130 knot winds. The cyclone to the left, Amara, had 115 knot winds. These are all 1-minute sustained. These two cyclones have been churning in the South Indian Ocean for a few days, but only at 18:00 UTC synoptic time on Dec. 20 were they able to be SSHS Category 4s at the same time, an unusual event indeed. If they are still both Category 4s (SSHS) at 0:00 UTC Dec. 21, I will post more images. Anyone who would like to share theirs can feel free to do so here, but preferably photos with both cyclones in the same frame, since they already have their individual threads. This thread is only to discuss the event of having two cyclones active at the same time with this intensity, rather than on an individual basis.

Here is the image of them at 19:30 UTC...


Here is the 18:00 UTC Dec. 20 JTWC Best Track...
03S AMARA 131220 1800 19.1S 64.3E SHEM 115 937
04S BRUCE 131220 1800 14.1S 86.3E SHEM 130 926

[Ntxw]

Funny thing is together they amass more energy than the entire Atlantic season 2013

Gorgeous systems though, are they a threat to any land? I know Madagascar can get hit sometimes.

[hurricanes1234]

:uarrow: Funny thing is together they amass more energy than the entire Atlantic season 2013

Gorgeous systems though, are they a threat to any land? I know Madagascar can get hit sometimes.

Amara is threatening Rodrigues Island right now. In fact, I think it is already inside the storm, but not in the eyewall. I don't think Bruce is threatening anywhere yet. I'll post more images tomorrow morning.

[jaguarjace]

Full disk satellite image of Amara and Bruce.
FY-2D Satellite taken at 0630 UTC on Dec 21, 2013.

Click image for original size (2291 x 2291).


Not an official product from SSD. I created this product for informational purposes.

[mrbagyo]

Not an official product from SSD. I created this product for informational purposes.

excellent rgb loop there...
I also made a IR loop of this 2 cyclones together ... from Dec 15 - Present , it's just way too large to upload.

[hurricanes1234]

Category 5 and Category 4 (SSHS) active at the same time. Also notice the proximity. This is a very rare event indeed, as someone else said, it's possibly the result of a dead Atlantic and below-average east Pacific.

Amara is the weakening 120 knot Category 4 (SSHS) to the left. Bruce is the recently upgraded 140 knot Category 5 (SSHS) to the right. Image taken at 19:00 UTC December 21st 2013.

[hurricanes1234]

Some more images...

6:00 UTC on December 21 2013. Bruce - 135 knots/Amara - 130 knots. Same left-right orientation as described above.


3:30 UTC on the same day. The orientation was also the same as 6:00 UTC Dec. 21. However, I believe Amara was 120 knots (although I could be wrong). Bruce was 135 knots.

[Cyclenall]

Category 5 and Category 4 (SSHS) active at the same time. Also notice the proximity. This is a very rare event indeed, as someone else said, it's possibly the result of a dead Atlantic and below-average east Pacific.
*Image Cut*
Amara is the weakening 120 knot Category 4 (SSHS) to the left. Bruce is the recently upgraded 140 knot Category 5 (SSHS) to the right. Image taken at 19:00 UTC December 21st 2013.

Great images and loops everyone. In this pic, Bruce has an extremely symmetrical CDO. This doesn't happen in the Atlantic (how close 2 CAT4/5's get to each other).

[Ptarmigan]

Quite impressive. More energy than the Atlantic has in 2013.

[euro6208]

Compared to Ivan and Joan of 1997, Amara and Bruce are unsually very small and closer to each other but weaker...

Truly a sight to witness in other basins

[hurricanes1234]

Compared to Ivan and Joan of 1997, Amara and Bruce are unsually very small and closer to each other but weaker...

Truly a sight to witness in other basins

Funny thing is the WPAC this year did not have two strong systems simultaneously active like this. I think the last time two storms did that was in 2010 in the Atlantic (though I could be wrong) with Igor and Julia. But as you've said, this is amazing to have two Category 4s active in the same basin, and they were even more intense than the 2010 episode of simultaneous Category 4s. This has to be a record for the SIO.

By the way, where's Yellow Evan? I know he likes to see these SHEM cyclones, yet I haven't heard from him for a while. Yellow Evan, are you there?