Washington, Oct 11 (IANS) Tropical cyclone Hudhud is expected to intensify and peak to around 100 knots (185 kmph) before landfall near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh late Sunday, forecasts based on NASA data show.

NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Hudhud yesterday as it reached hurricane-force.

The data showed the coldest cloud top temperatures were in thunderstorms. Cloud top temperatures were as cold as -53 degree Celsius, which have the potential for dropping heavy rainfall.

Hudhud's maximum sustained winds were nearer to 75 knots (138.9 kph) Friday.

It was centred near 15.5 north and 86.7 east, about 250 nautical miles southeast Visakhapatnam.

Hudhud has tracked northwestward at 6 knots (11.1 kph).

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) of the US Navy indicated yesterday that animated enhanced infrared satellite imagery showed that bands of thunderstorms have become more tightly wrapped into the low-level centre. In addition, micro-wave satellite data revealed an eye in the storm.

The JTWC expects the cyclone to remain on a generally west-northwestward trajectory over the next couple of days.