Extreme Weather News

The GPM core observatory satellite flew tropical cyclone FEHI on January 30, 2018 at 0831 UTC. GPM revealed that precipitation was only located around the southern side of FEHI's circulation. Strong vertical wind shear had caused the surface center of circulation (shown with a red symbol) to be displaced well to the north of the heaviest rainfall. The satellite found that some convective storms on the southern side of the tropical cyclone were still producing very heavy precipitation. GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments revealed rainfall in a

Tropical cyclone BERGUITTA was moving very close to the eastern side of the island of Mauritius when the GPM core observatory satellite passed above on January 18, 2018 at 0528Z (9:28 AM local time). This meant that the most destructive section of tropical cyclone BERGUITTA was passing very close to the eastern side of Mauritius. For this reason the eastern side of Mauritius would be expected to have had the highest winds, seas, and storm surge from BERGUITTA. The tropical cyclone was passing a little farther to the east of the island of Reunion. Data collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI)

The GPM core observatory satellite passed over the southwest Indian Ocean on January 16, 2018 at 1856 UTC. GPM showed that heavy rainfall within tropical cyclone BERGUITTA was moving closer to the islands of Reunion and Mauritius. GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments found that powerful storms northeast of Mauritius were dropping rain at a rate greater than 54 mm (2.1 inches) per hour. A 3-D view of Storm top heights within tropical cyclone BERGUITTA was made possible with GPM's radar (DPR ku Band). Those 3-D scans through the eastern side of

Tropical cyclone BERGUITTA formed in the southwestern Indian Ocean northeast of the islands of La Reunion and Mauritius on January 12, 2018. BERGUITTA is now moving toward the southwest and threatening the islands. Early on January 16,2018 BERGUITTA had maximum sustained winds estimated at 100 kts (115 mph). This means that BERGUITTA was the equivalent of a category three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Later in the day BERGUITTA's maximum sustained wind speeds were estimated at 85 kts (98 mph) with gust to 105 kts (121 mph). On January 16, 2018 at 1200Z tropical cyclone

Winter rains falling on recently burned ground triggered deadly mudslides near Santa Barbara, California on the 9th of January. The potential for landslides is shown above. It was generated by the global Landslide Hazard Assessment for Situational Awareness (LHASA) model, a model that combines GPM precipitation data with a global landslide susceptibility map. LHASA gives a broad overview of landslide hazard in nearly real time, but site-specific information should be obtained prior to emergency operations or building projects. At least 15 residents of southern California have been killed by