Extreme Weather News

The GPM core observatory satellite had another excellent view of tropical cyclone Vardah (05B) in the eastern Bay of Bengal on December 8, 2016 at 0301 UTC. GPM found that Vardah had become better organized since it formed on December 7, 2016. Maximum sustained winds had increased to an estimated 45 kts (~52 mph). GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) showed that two intense feeder bands were bringing moisture from the Andaman Sea into the northeastern side of the tropical cyclone. GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) coverage is shown in a slightly lighter shade through the center of the

A tropical cyclone (TC05b) formed on December 7, 2016 in the eastern Bay Of Bengal. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued it's first advisory when TC05B was located just west of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with winds of 35kts (~40 mph). On December 6, 2016 at 1441 UTC the GPM core observatory satellite passed over the forming tropical cyclone. This image shows a rainfall analysis that was derived from GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data. GPM's radar (DPR Ku band) showed that the forming tropical cyclone had two bands of convective storms

The mountains of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in the Hawaiian Islands have recently received heavy snowfall. Hawaii's balmy temperatures normally reach above 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 C) at sea level on beaches such as Oahu's Waikiki but temperatures fall below freezing at the altitudes of tall mountain peaks on the Big Island. At 13,802 feet (4.2 km) Mauna Kea is Hawaii's tallest mountain. Snowfall is frequently seen on Mauna Kea's peak. The nature of precipitation in the Hawaiian Islands was recently examined using data collected by the GPM core observatory satellite. GPM flew over the Hawaiian

On Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning tornadoes formed along a squall line in advance of a cold front that moved through the Southeast. Over three dozen tornadoes were reported with sightings occurring in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama. Tornadoes caused the deaths of a least five people in northern Alabama. Storms also took the the lives of two people in Tennessee. This Rainfall may provide some relief to drought ridden eastern Tennessee where destructive wildfires have been occurring. Some storms were accompanied with hail, strong winds and intense showers. Golf

Hurricane Otto hit the southern coast of Nicaragua on November 24, 2016 at about 1800 UTC (1 PM EST). Otto had winds of about 95 kts (109 mph). The hurricane crossed into Nicaragua just north of the town of San Juan de Nicaragua that is located at 10.9 degrees North latitude. This makes Otto the southernmost land falling hurricane in Central America on record. Otto dropped flooding rainfall as is weakened and moved through northwestern Coast Rica. Otto was still a well organized tropical storm when it moved into the Eastern Pacific early on November 25, 2016. Otto's maximum sustained winds had