Articles

Photo of Vasco Mantas
Affiliation: University of Coimbra, Earth and Space Science Center (CITEUC), Portugal Project Mentee: Simon Ageet
Photo of Simon Ageet
Overview: Hydrometeorological natural hazards are on the rise globally, yet in Africa, rainfall data which is crucial in mitigation efforts is lacking. Understanding the amount and distribution of rainfall and how it plays a role in causing these natural hazards is critical to improve disaster response and mitigation efforts. This project uses GPM IMERG data together with resources like NASA's Landslide Viewer to determine a precipitation threshold for landslides in the Mt. Elgon region of Uganda. Mentors: Vasco Mantas , Zhong Liu , Andrea Portier , Dorian Janney
Screenshot of the High-Impact Weather Assessment Toolkit (HIWAT),
Bangladesh has a long history of deadly and costly storms. Because these storms are so localized, they can be notoriously difficult to forecast, especially without access to the most advanced weather prediction technology. Researchers have created a new tool to boost the country’s ability to forecast severe weather. The SERVIR program - a joint initiative of NASA, USAID, and leading geospatial organizations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America - and the Bangladesh Meteorological Department ( BMD ) recently launched the High-Impact Weather Assessment Toolkit ( HIWAT ), a web-based tool that
IMERG totals from twin cyclones in the Indian Ocean
Over the past several days, a relatively rare event occurred in the eastern Indian Ocean: the formation of “twin” tropical cyclones. Tropical Cylones Karim and Asani formed at nearly the exact same time (06:00 UTC and 06:30 UTC, 12:00 pm and 12:30 pm local time) on May 7 on opposite sides of the Equator. Karim officially formed first in the southern hemisphere (SH) followed immediately by Asani in the northern hemisphere (NH). At first glance, the cyclones appear to be mirror images of one another with Asani rotating counterclockwise in the NH and Karim rotating clockwise in the SH roughly
IMERG rainfall totals in South Africa, April 5 - 18, 2022.
An upper-level area of low pressure tapped into the warm waters of the South Indian Ocean to bring heavy rains and flooding to parts of South Africa during the second week of April. The event unfolded when an upper-level trough of low pressure embedded within the midlatitude westerlies traversed the southern part of Africa from west to east. As the trough approached the east coast of South Africa, an area of low pressure became detached from the main flow, this “cut off” low then drifted over the warm waters of the Agulhas Current, which channels warmer waters from the tropical Indian Ocean