Extreme Weather News

Tropical cyclones have been forming frequently in the Western Pacific Ocean since July 2016. 36 named tropical cyclones have formed in the Western Pacific in less than 5 months with 14 of them becoming typhoons. Tropical Depression MA-ON Formed on November 10, 2016 northeast of Guam. MA-ON had maximum sustained winds estimated at 30 kts (34.5 mph) when the GPM core observatory satellite flew over on November 10, 2016 at 0701Z. GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments showed that the tropical depression contained some very heavy showers. Strong bands

A tropical disturbance that recently formed in the Bay Of Bengal may cause heavy rainfall in the next few days along coastal India's eastern state of Odisha and southern Bangladesh. The low is predicted to move northeastward over the warm waters of the Bay Of Bengal but according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has only a medium chance of developing into a tropical cyclone. High vertical wind shear is forecast to keep the tropical disturbance from intensifying. The GPM core observatory flew above the low on November 4, 2016 at 0026 UTC. GPM saw that the low contained some strong

Last week severe storms hit Upper Egypt and areas along the Red Sea coast on October 26 and 27, 2016. Egypt normally receives relatively little rain and the heaviest rainfall usually occurs along the Mediterranean coast. Heavy rainfall from intense storms led to flooding in parts of Egypt including the Sohag and Bani Suef in Upper Egypt, the Southern Sinai and the Red Sea. At least 26 deaths and 72 injuries were attributed to the storms. The GPM core observatory satellite routinely passes above that area with a very informative pass occurring on October 27, 2016 at 0541 UTC. Data collected by

After Haima's caused extensive destruction and at least 13 deaths in the northern Philippines the typhoon traveled across the South China Sea to batter Hong Kong and mainland China. Heavy rain and gusty winds accompanied Haima as the typhoon passed to the east of Hong Kong. Operations at Hong Kong's international airport were nearly stopped by the typhoon. At least one person was reported killed in Hong Kong. Haima made landfall in China 110 km (68 miles) east of Hong Kong at about 0400 UTC (noon CST). Haima's winds were decreasing and the typhoon was the equivalent of a category one hurricane

Two powerful typhoons have hit the Philippines in less than a week. The first was Typhoon Sarika (known as Karen in the Philippines) that formed east of the Philippines on October 12, 2016. Sarika intensified and had peak sustained winds of 115 kts (132 mph). This wind speed made it the equivalent of a category four on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Sarika made landfall in the Philippines on Sunday in the northern province of Aurora on the island of Luzon. Three people were killed as Sarika pounded the Philippines with heavy winds and flooding rainfall. After hitting the Philippines