Current Weather Situation latest forecast cyclone reports, and hurricane,flood images.

The tropical cyclones, and the Aqua and CloudSat satellites captured a top-down look at temperatures in Typhoon Nida's clouds, and an image of what they look like from the side.

On Monday, November 30, by 4 a.m. ET, Nida had lost her "Super Typhoon" status as a result of wind shear, and is now a typhoon. Nida's maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph (100 knots). The storm was over open ocean in the Western Pacific, about 330 miles south-southwest of the island of Iwo To (formerly Iwo Jima), near 19.6 North and 139.1 East. It was crawling to the west-northwest near 3 mph (2 knots), so the forecast track has become more difficult to predict.

Northern and Eastern Luzon will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered light rains. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Northeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and coming from the North to Northwest over Eastern Mindanao and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the Northeast to Northwest with slight to moderate seas except duirng thunderstorms.

Predicted Mean Sea Level Wind Analysis for 8 p.m., 30 Novembe

As of today, Saturday, 28-Nov-2009 11:05:08 PHT no tropical cyclone existing within the Philippine Area . The Strong to gale force winds is expected to affect the seaboards of Northern and Eastern Luzon.

Super Typhoon Nida's rainfall on November 26 and captured moderate rainfall around the storm's center between .78 to 1.57 inches per hour (yellow and green), with some heavy rainfall, as much as 2 inches of rain per hour (red), in a rain band southeast of the storm's center.

On Friday, November 27, at 0900 UTC (4 a.m. ET or 6 p.m. local Asia/Toyko time) Nida had maximum sustained winds near 149 mph (130 knots) with gusts to 184 mph (160 knots)! That makes Nida a Category 4 Typhoon. The range of sustained winds for a Category 4 typhoon (or hurricane) range from 131 to 155 mph (114-135 knots or 210-249 kilometers/hour).The National Hurricane Center says of a Category 4 Typhoon/hurricane: "Extremely dangerous winds causing devastating damage are expected."

Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. Visayas will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms while Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rains.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Northeast will prevail over Luzon with moderate to rough seas. Elsewhere, light to moderate Northerly to Northwesterly winds will prevail and the coastal waters along these areas will be slight to moderate.

Another tropical depression is bringing rains and gusty winds to the Philippines, but this time it is not in Luzon. NASA's Aqua satellite noticed early today, November 24, that Tropical Depression 27W (TD27W), called "Urduja" in the Philippines, is now bringing those conditions much farther south over Mindanao.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) posted storm signal number one for a large area of the Visayas. Those areas under the warning include: in Visayas: Bohol, Leyte Provinces, Camotes Island, Biliran, Eastern & Western Samar. In Mindanao the warning includes: Surigao Provinces, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Island, Siargao Island and Camiguin.

On Tuesday, November 24, Tropical depression 27W was located approximately 35 nautical miles north of Mindanao located in the southern Philippines. It was near 10.0 North latitude and 125.8 East longitude. TD27W has maximum sustained winds near 23 mph. TD27W is moving westward near 8 mph.

At 4:00 p.m. today, Tropical Depression "URDUJA" was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 170 kms East of Surigao City (9.7°N, 127.1°E) with maximum winds of 55 kph near the center. It is forecast to move West Northwest slowly. Northeast Monsoon affecting Northern Luzon.

NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of Typhoon Mirinae on October 30 at 1 p.m. Asia/Manila Time approaching the Philippines (left), part of which are already under a part of Mirinae's clouds

If there's a tropical wave that is has any potential for development, and it's cited by one of the forecast centers, NASAHurricane's Twitter will explain what it is, and where it is. For example, if there's a tropical wave in the Atlantic Ocean, Twitter provides the opportunity to highlight it and give a status on it.NASAHurricane Twitter is excited about communicating 'in-real-time' to hurricane enthusiasts worldwide," said climatologist Bill Patzert at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in Pasadena, Calif. "'Tweeting' the latest in NASA research and technology, developing hurricane events and impacts cranks up NASA's commitment to rapidly providing the most up-to-date and useful hurricane information to every level of society."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's damage assessment teams were touring Hampton Roads, Virginia this week and documenting damages. The assessment will help determine if the state of Virginia is eligible for federal disaster assistance.


Residents in eastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina were hit especially hard by the heavy rains from last week's coastal low pressure area, formerly known as hurricane Ida. Employees at NASA's Wallops Island facility in Wallops Island, Virginia had a first-hand experience with "Ida the coastal low."



After receiving almost a foot of water in various areas, clean up efforts will continue for some time to come. "The basement of my home did experience some flooding," Powell said. "Although frustrating, I know it can be cleaned up and repaired, however others weren't as lucky, so I won't complain."

Anja has continued to weaken over the last 24 hours, and NASA's QuikScat satellite has confirmed that the once mighty Category 4 Cyclone is now a tropical storm in the southern Indian Ocean. Two instruments on NASA's Aqua satellite have also helped forecasters determine Anja's location and change of shape.

NASA's QuikScat satellite uses microwave technology to peer through a tropical cyclone's clouds, and actually read the speed of the rotating surface winds. In an overpass from space at 7:58 p.m. ET last night, November 18 (Nov. 19 at 0058 UTC), QuikScat noticed Anja's maximum sustained winds have dropped to 63 mph, making it a tropical storm

zt 1500 UTC (10 a.m. ET) on November 17, Anja's maximum sustained winds were sustained at 75 knots (86 mph). Anja's center was located 715 miles east-northeast of La Reunion Island, near 18.3 South and 66.5 East. Anja is moving south-southwest at 12 mph. The storm seems to be spreading out as its weakening, as tropical storm force winds now extend out to 115 miles from the center (earlier today, they only extended 75 miles out from the center).

When the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite passed over Anja on November 15 at 0904 UTC it had a well-defined eye and was increasing in strength from a category 2 tropical cyclone (on the Saffir-Simpson scale) to a powerful category 3 tropical cyclone later that day. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency JAXA.

Overnight Cyclone Anja continued on its power trip. Yesterday, November 16, Anja was a Category 3 Cyclone. Today, Anja has reached Category 4 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale as the storm's maximum sustained winds have increased to 115 knots (132 mph).

At 10 p.m. ET on November 16 (0300 UTC November 17), Anja was located about 715 miles east-northeast of La Reunion Island, near 16.4S and 67.3E. Reunion Island is located east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The nearest island is Mauritius which is 120 miles to the northwest. Anja was moving toward the south-southwest near 13 mph.

On Monday, November 16, Anja had grown into a Category Three cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, packing maximum sustained winds near 105 knots (120 mph). NASA's Terra satellite flew over Anja, and the Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument captured an image of the storm that showed a cloud-filled eye in the center of circulation. Anja was located 795 miles east-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, near 13.4 North and 69.3 East. Anja was moving southwest at 4 mph.

Cyclone Phyan's remnants over Tibet on November 12. At that time, Phyan was still showing some moderate rainfall and cold cloud tops (in blue) as cold as -27F.

A vehicle is a mechanical means of conveyance, a carriage or transport. Most often they are manufactured although some other means of transport which are not made by humans also may be called vehicles; examples include icebergs and floating tree trunks.

Vehicles may be propelled or pulled by engines or animals including humans, for instance, a chariot, a stagecoach, a mule-drawn barge, an ox-cart or rickshaw. However, animals on their own, though used as a means of transport, are not called vehicles, but rather beasts of burden or draft animals. This distinction includes humans carrying another human, for example a child or a disabled person. Means of transport without a vehicle or animal would include walking, running, crawling, or swimming.

GM has prided its research and prototype development of hydrogen powered vehicles, to be produced in early 2010, using a support infrastructure still in a prototype state. The economic feasibility of the technically challenging hydrogen car, and the low-cost production of hydrogen to fuel it, has also been discussed by other automobile manufacturers such as Ford and Chrysler.

In June 2007, Larry Burns, vice president of research and development, said he's not yet willing to say exactly when hydrogen vehicles will be mass produced, but he said it should happen before 2020, the year many experts have predicted. He said "I sure would be disappointed if we weren't there" before 2020

A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen as its onboard fuel for motive power. The term may refer to a personal transportation vehicle, such as an automobile, or any other vehicle that uses hydrogen in a similar fashion, such as an aircraft. The power plants of such vehicles convert the chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy (torque) in one of two methods: combustion, or electrochemical conversion in a fuel-cell:

* In hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles, the hydrogen is combusted in engines in fundamentally the same method as traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

* In fuel-cell conversion, the hydrogen is reacted with oxygen to produce water and electricity, the latter being used to power an electric traction motor.

Hydrogen fuel does not occur naturally on Earth and thus is not an energy source, but is an energy carrier. It can be made from a number of sources, currently it is most frequently made from methane or other fossil fuels. Hydrogen production via electrolysis of water is inefficient and expensive and is rarely used.

Many companies are working to develop technologies that can efficiently exploit the potential of hydrogen energy.

The Ford Fiesta is a small front wheel drive supermini car designed by the Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India and South Africa. The model is marketed worldwide, including Japan and Australasia.

The latest generation will be available in North America in 2010 (though the original Mark I version was briefly sold in the US from 1978-80). It is one of Ford's most successful cars with over twelve million sold across six generations since 1976.

An auto show, or motorshow, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is commonly attended by automobile manufacturers. Most auto shows occur once or twice a year. They are vital to car manufacturers and local dealers as a public relations exercise, for advertising products, and for increasing publicity.

There are other auto/car shows that occur on a more frequent basis, like weekly. It's not known if there is a regularly accepted term for these more frequent, informal "car rallies" or "car enthusiasts events". Some meeting events have themes, such as classic cars, hot rods, etc. In any case, these car gathering events are more localized, typically consisting of car enthusiasts who meet to socialize and enjoy their enthusiasm with other car owners.

The Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles organises many auto shows.

They are distinguishable from car shows in that auto shows typically showcase new or concept vehicles whereas car shows showcase custom, classic, or exotic cars. They also distinguish in that auto shows are almost always a major professional event whereas car shows can be either professional or amateur and many are locally organised. Auto shows always charge for admission whereas many cities have local, free car shows.

The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is a rear-wheel drive sports coupe from Hyundai Motor Company, released on October 13, 2008 for the Korean market. It is Hyundai's first rear-wheel drive sports coupe, and shares its basic platform with the Hyundai Genesis luxury sedan.

The Genesis Coupe arrived in United States dealerships on February 26, 2009 as a 2010 model. Hyundai USA acting President and CEO John Krafcik has described the Genesis Coupe as being designed "...to deliver a driving experience that challenges cars like Infiniti G37.”

Hyundai has stated the Genesis Coupe is not a successor to the Hyundai Tiburon. Genesis Coupe is another model totally apart from Tiburon. According to Korean newspaper Autotimes, Hyundai is also ready to release the new Tiburon, which has a 1.6 L/2.0 L Turbo Engine.

Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.,commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian automaker based in the small township of Sant' Agata Bolognese. The company was founded in 1963 by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini. It has changed ownership numerous times since, most recently becoming a subsidiary of German car manufacturer Audi AG (itself a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group) in 1998.[1][2] Lamborghini has achieved widespread recognition for its sleek, exotic designs, and its cars have become symbols of performance and wealth.

Ferruccio Lamborghini entered the automobile manufacturing business with the aim of producing a high-quality grand tourer that could outperform and outclass offerings from local rival Ferrari S.p.A. The company's first models had uninspired styling and were of lesser build quality, and sold in far fewer numbers to equivalent Ferrari offerings.

Lamborghini met with success in 1966 with the release of the mid-engined Miura sports coupé, and in 1968 with the Espada GT, the latter of which sold over 1,200 units during ten years of production. After almost a decade of rapid growth, and the release of classic models like the Countach in 1974, hard times befell the company in the late 1970s, as sales plunged in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis.

Bankruptcy crippled the automaker, and after passing through the hands of a number of Swiss entrepreneurs, Lamborghini came under the corporate umbrella of industry giant Chrysler. The American company failed to make the Italian manufacturer profitable, and in 1994, the company was sold to Indonesian interests.

Lamborghini would remain on life support throughout the rest of the 1990s, continuously updating the Diablo of 1990 in lieu of a planned expanded range of offerings, including a smaller car that would appeal to American enthusiasts. Reeling from the Asian financial crisis of the previous year, in 1998 Lamborghini's owners sold the troubled automaker to AUDI AG, the luxury car subsidiary of German automotive conglomerate Volkswagen AG. German ownership marked the beginning of a period of stability and increased productivity for Lamborghini, with sales increasing nearly tenfold over the course of the next decade.

Porsche will introduce a lightweight addition to its Boxster range next month at the Los Angeles auto show. The new Boxster Spyder gets exclusive styling touches, a bump in power, improved handling and a weight reduction.

Visually, the Boxster Spyder gains a lower-slung soft top that stretches farther back than the base and S cars. Together with the lower side windows and a rear lid that features two bulges, it harks back to the Carrera GT supercar.

Power comes from the 3.4-liter boxer six-cylinder used in the Boxster S, but with an additional 10 hp for a total of 320 hp. A new sport suspension with 0.8-inch lower ride height, standard limited-slip differential and specific wheels sharpens handling.

Tipping the scale at 2,811 pounds, the Boxster Spyder will be the lightest offering across Porsche's current range. With the help of aluminum doors and lighter-weight interior door panels from the 911 GT3 RS, the Boxster Spyder weights 176 pounds less than the Boxster S.

The result is a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.6 seconds on cars equipped with the ZF dual-clutch transmission and a top speed of 166 mph with the roof down.

The Spyder becomes the third regular production model in the Boxster lineup, joining the base and S versions. Previously, a Boxster Spyder was available in 2004 and 2008, but only as special limited-edition vehicles to pay tribute to the 550 Spyder race car and homologated road car of the 1950s.

Sales begin in February as a 2011 model with a base price of $61,200.

The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells the world's motor vehicles. In 2008, more than 70 million motor vehicles, including cars and commercial vehicles were produced worldwide.

In 2007, a total of 71.9 million new automobiles were sold worldwide: 22.9 million in Europe, 21.4 million in Asia-Pacific, 19.4 million in USA and Canada, 4.4 million in Latin America, 2.4 million in the Middle East and 1.4 million in Africa.The markets in North America and Japan were stagnant, while those in South America and other parts of Asia grew strongly. Of the major markets, Russia, Brazil, India and China saw the most rapid growth.

About 250 million vehicles are in use in the United States. Around the world, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road in 2007; they burn over 260 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel yearly. The numbers are increasing rapidly, especially in China and India. In the opinion of some, urban transport systems based around the car have proved unsustainable, consuming excessive energy, affecting the health of populations, and delivering a declining level of service despite increasing investments. Many of these negative impacts fall disproportionately on those social groups who are also least likely to own and drive cars.The sustainable transport movement focuses on solutions to these problems.

In 2008, with rapidly rising oil prices, industries such as the automotive industry, are experiencing a combination of pricing pressures from raw material costs and changes in consumer buying habits. The industry is also facing increasing external competition from the public transport sector, as consumers re-evaluate their private vehicle usage.

Roughly half of the US's fifty-one light vehicle plants are projected to permanently close in the coming years, with the loss of another 200,000 jobs in the sector, on top of the 560,000 jobs lost this decade.[8] Combined with robust growth in China, in 2009, this resulted in China becoming the largest automobile market in the world.

It is being marketed as a premium hatchback or "sports coupe" specially designed for first-time Volvo buyers and the youth market. Production is expected to be 65,000 units a year, 75% for sale in the European market.

The exterior design of the C30 is based on the 2001 SCC concept car, which was inspired by the 1800ES, the estate adaptation of the P1800 Coupe. According to Simon Lamarre, chief studio designer, "the 1800ES has become one of the icons for Volvo," inspiring the design of the Volvo C30.

The production car was officially unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show.

The interior design is similar to the S40 and V50; the majority of parts including the instrument panel, 'floating' centre stack and steering wheel are shared by the three cars.

The Mitsubishi is a kei car from Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors, first released in January 2006, twenty eight months after its debut at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show. It is the first four door automobile since the 1960s to employ a "rear midship" setup with the engine behind the passengers, in an attempt to improve safety and interior space without enlarging the overall exterior.

The innovative layout and styling of the i proved an immediate critical and commercial success, exceeding Mitsubishi's initial sales targets by 20 percent and winning thirteen awards in its first year. Although designed with the Japanese keijidōsha light automobile class in mind, the attention it generated led to its subsequent introduction in right hand drive markets in Asia, Oceania and Europe. It is also speculated to be the basis of the battery electric vehicle Mitsubishi has timetabled for introduction in 2010.

Two prototypes were exhibited during the car's development. The first was the "i" Concept, which debuted at the 60th Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003, and previewed the car's striking exterior. Motoring journalists were quick to seize on the distinctive silhouette, calling it "a very good egg", and a "crystal ball" with which to see the future of Mitsubishi.

One reviewer even speculated it to be an allusion by the vehicle's French-born designer Olivier Boulay to the Renault 4CV, France's popular post-war "people's car" with which the i shared its four seat, rear-engined layout. Its styling was formally lauded when the i won the Grand Prize at the 50th anniversary Good Design Awards from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in October 2006, the first kei car to win the award