Extreme Weather News

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

Tropical cyclone Ava dropped extremely heavy rainfall over Madagascar as it passed over the eastern side of the island country from January 5-6, 2018. Ava's drenching rainfall caused flooding and landslides which resulted in the deaths of at least 29 people. An estimated 80,000 people on Madagascar were affected by the tropical cyclone. This rainfall analysis was produced by accumulating rainfall that fell near Madagascar during the period from January 2-8, 2018. These IMERG estimates showed the locations of extreme rainfall totals during the period when tropical cyclone Ava was in Madagascar

Tropical cyclone Irving formed in the South Indian Ocean on January 6, 2018. Irving posed no threat to land because it orgininated over the open ocean far to the west of Australia. GPM's core observatory satellite had an excellent view of Irving's eye on January 2018 at 0706Z. The well defined rainfall patterns within Irving were clearly shown by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data. Very heavy rainfall was shown in the western side of Irving's large eye wall. GPM's Radar (DPR Ku Band) found rain in that side of the tropical cyclone falling at a rate