Extreme Weather News

After a break in February, El Nino fueled storms have started pounding California as they move in from the Pacific Ocean. Northern California has been especially hard hit with heavy rainfall and strong winds being reported. Heavy rainfall north of Sacramento caused flooding that killed a woman in Olivehurst, California. Rain and snowfall in the Sierra Nevada mountains may help to alleviate the long lasting California drought. An analysis of total precipitation from February 29 to March 7, 1016 was accomplished using data collected by NASA's Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG). This

Heavy rainfall recently caused flooding, landslides and power cuts in some areas of Peru. Thousands were made homeless and at least two people were reportedly killed. Extremely heavy rainfall was reported in northern Peru on February 26 and February 27, 2016. In some areas the Peruvian army was sent to help those affected by flooding. The strong El Niño was partially blamed for the abnormally high rainfall in this area. NASA's Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) data collected from February 23-29, 2016 were used to estimate rainfall totals over this area of South America. The highest

The GPM core observatory satellite flew over an area of disturbed weather in the South Pacific near Bora Bora early today where a tropical cyclone may be forming. On February 29, 2016 at 0456 UTC GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) saw rain falling at an estimated rate of almost 48 mm (1.9 inches) per hour in an area of deep convection south of a tropical low. GPM's Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instrument measured cloud top heights at an altitude of over 10.5 km (6.5 miles) in rain showers between Bora Bora and Tahiti.

The GPM core observatory satellite flew directly above tropical cyclone Winston on February 20, 2016 at 0941 UTC. Tropical cyclone Winston had sustained winds estimated at 155 kts (178 mph) at that time. A rainfall analysis derived from data collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments found that in addition to powerful winds Winston was dropping rain at a rate of over 169 mm (6.7 inches) per hour in the western side of the eye. Tropical cyclone WINSTON is the most powerful storm to hit Fiji. At least one fatality has already occurred. The

Both yesterday and today the GPM core observatory satellite had excellent views of tropical cyclone Uriah in the South Indian Ocean. Uriah was intensifying with winds of about 115 kts (132 mph) on February 17, 2016 at 1651 UTC when the GPM satellite passed above. A rainfall analysis derived from GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data collected with that pass revealed that Uriah had a well defined circular eye. Rain was measured by DPR falling at a rate of over 179 mm (7 inches) per hour on the southern side of Uriah's eye wall. GPM passed over again on