Satellite view 97S/02U

What the Satellite Animation of 02U Shows

The satellite loop of Tropical Low 02U shows a broad but steadily organising circulation sitting just north of the NT coast.

1. A clear rotating cloud mass

On satellite, you can see:

Cloud bands wrapping around a central point,

A definite counter-clockwise rotation,

The system tightening slowly over time.

The clouds spin in almost the same pattern you’ve marked on the radar image — but the satellite shows the higher-level structure and the full size of the circulation.

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2. Deep convection flaring near the centre

The animation shows bursts of bright white cloud tops — these are deep thunderstorms.

They tend to:

flare up near the middle of the low,

spread outwards in curved bands,

pulse on and off as the system organises.

This stop–start behaviour is common as a tropical low slowly strengthens.

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3. Strong equatorial feed from the north

The satellite clearly shows long streams of cloud feeding down from Indonesia and the Banda/Arafura Seas.

This is the “equatorial feed” — warm, humid air getting pulled into the low.

It’s one of the key ingredients helping 02U build.

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4. The southern side (towards the NT) is patchier

Clouds towards Darwin, the Tiwi Islands and Arnhem Land are less intense and more broken.

This tells us:

Most of the storm energy is still north of the centre,

The low isn’t fully symmetrical yet,

Conditions over land are less active for now.

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5. Signs of gradual strengthening

Across the loop you’d notice:

The rotation becoming more defined

Thunderstorms focusing closer to the core

The cloud shield becoming more organised

A faint central “bulge” where the core is consolidating

These are the early structural steps toward reaching cyclone strength.

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Summary (Plain English)

The satellite animation shows Tropical Low 02U slowly pulling itself together north of the NT. Clouds and storms are wrapping around the centre, with most of the active weather on the northern side out over water. A strong feed of tropical moisture from the equator is helping the system strengthen. The signs are steady and gradual — exactly what you’d expect in the day or two before a low becomes a cyclone.