Extreme Weather News

This year unusually heavy rainfall has caused extensive flooding and loss of life in Peru. Extreme flooding and frequent landslides that occurred this month have forced many from their homes. An El Niño like condition with warm ocean waters developed near Peru's coast. This extremely warm water off Peru's western coast has been blamed for promoting the development of these storms. Equatorial sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are about average elsewhere in the central and east central Pacific. This image shows the locations of storms that were dropping heavy rainfall over northwestern Peru when

The GPM core observatory satellite passed above some energetic storms in the Timor Sea north of Australia on March 20, 2017 at 0726 UTC. These powerful storms were being invigorated by very warm sea surface temperatures and low vertical wind shear aloft. Balmy water in the Timor Sea was reaching temperatures of 30 to 32 degrees Celcius (86 to 89.6 Fahrenheit). Data collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments showed that these storms contained some very heavy downpours. GPM's DPR found rain falling at a rate of over 238 mm (9.4 inches) per

The GPM core observatory satellite flew above the remnants of tropical cyclone 11S on March 14, 2017 at 2356 UTC. The remnants were located south-southeast of Madagasgar and were rapidly transforming into an extra-tropical low. GPM showed the locations of intense rainfall still being produced by the low. GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data showed that rain was falling at a rate of over 205 mm (8 inches) in a few storms. GPM's radar (DPR Ku Band) found that some storm tops in the remnants were reaching heights above 13 km (8 miles). GPM satellite radar (DPR Ku Band) data were

Tropical cyclone Enawo is now responsible for the deaths of at least five people in Madagascar. Many thousands of people were also displaced due to flooding and destroyed homes. The tropical cyclone dropped heavy rainfall as it soaked the island from north to south. This rainfall analysis was updated to include recent precipitation estimates from NASA's Integrated Multi-satelliE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) rainfall data. It shows rainfall estimates from IMERG data collected during the period from March 3-10, 2017. As expected, the eastern side of Madagascar had the highest rainfall total

Tropical cyclone Enawo hit Madagascar on Tuesday with powerful winds and drenching rain. At least three people have been reported killed by the tropical cyclone. Floods and landslides are likely as Enawo moves southward down the center of Madagascar. Tropical cyclones rotate in a clockwise direction in the southern hemisphere so the eastern side of Madagascar will have a strong onshore flow. The extreme amount of moisture flowing onto Madagascar from the Indian Ocean is expected to produce flooding and landslides. NASA's Integrated Multi-satelliE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) data are produced