TRMM News

Hurricane Iselle has weakened from a very dangerous category four hurricane on August 4, 2014 to a category one hurricane when the TRMM satellite passed over on August 6, 2014 at 1020 UTC. Rainfall data from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) are shown overlaid on an enhanced infrared image from the 1000 UTC GOES-WEST satellite. TRMM TMI showed that heavy rainfall was occurring around the filling eye. TRMM TMI indicated that the most intense rain was falling at a rate of over 43.5 mm (about 1.7 inches) in a band southwest of the eye. The second image is an animation

Typhoon Halong was a very dangerous category 5 typhoon a few days ago. Halong was still a strong violent category 2 typhoon with winds of 85kts (about 98 mph) when the TRMM satellite saw it on August 5, 2014 at 1550 UTC. Rainfall derived from TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data is shown overlaid on an enhanced MTSAT infrared image received at 1600 UTC. Rain was shown by TRMM PR to be falling at a rate of over 87 mm (about 3.4 inches) per hour south of the Halong's eye. Typhoon Halong is predicted by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to hit southern Japan with

The hurricane season in the eastern Pacific Ocean has been very active this year. Eleven named tropical cyclones have already formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Tropical storm Julio that formed yesterday is following almost the same path as hurricane Iselle toward the central Pacific and the Hawaiian Islands. The TRMM satellite flew over tropical storm Julio on August 5, 2014 at 0944 UTC and collected data used in these images. The first image shows a rainfall analysis derived from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) overlaid on an enhanced GOES-WEST image received at

The TRMM satellite flew directly over the eye of powerful hurricane Iselle on August 4, 2014 at 1037 UTC. Iselle had winds of about 120kts (about 138 mph) at that time making it a dangerous category four hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Rainfall from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments is shown overlaid on a GOES-WEST enhanced infrared image captured at 1030 UTC. Rain was found by TRMM PR to be falling at a rate of almost 182 mm (about 7.2 inches) per hour in Iselle's eye wall. Hurricane Iselle is predicted by the National Hurricane

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) upgraded a well defined low pressure center east-southeast of Barbados to tropical storm Bertha on July 31, 2014 at 0300 UTC (11 PM AST). Bertha's development is inhibited by vertical wind shear that may weaken as the tropical storm moves over the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The TRMM satellite had an excellent view of tropical storm Bertha on August 1, 2014 at 0713 UTC (3:13 AM AST). Rainfall from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) with this TRMM pass is shown overlaid on a GOES-EAST enhanced infrared image received at 0715 UTC. Those

Typhoon Matmo hit eastern Taiwan at it's peak power with winds estimated at 85kts (about 98 mph). In addition to damaging winds Matmo produced very heavy rainfall while passing over central Taiwan. The TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center was used in this analysis to show rainfall totals for the period from July 17-24, 2014. It shows that rainfall totals greater than 400 mm (about 15.7 inches) soaked eastern Taiwan. Heavy rainfall also occurred yesterday over the Taiwan Strait. This band of heavy rainfall associated

The TRMM satellite saw typhoon Matmo nearing Taiwan on July 21, 2014 at 2316 UTC. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) showed that Matmo contained a large area of precipitation falling at a rate of over 61 mm (about 2.4 inches) per hour northeast of Matmo's center. After battering Taiwan today, typhoon Matmo is predicted to make a second landfall in China tomorrow.

Super typhoon Rammasun struck the southern coast of China on Friday July 18th as a very powerful super typhoon with sustained winds estimated at 135 knots (~155 mph or equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the US Saffir-Simpson scale), making it the strongest typhoon to hit the area in several decades. Rammasun made landfall at 3:30 pm (local time) on Hainan Island where the southern half of the intense eye wall raked across the northeast tip of that island. The center then quickly cut across the Qiongzhou Strait separating Hainan from the Leizhou Peninsula to the north. The right half of

Early this morning at 1100 UTC the TRMM satellite flew above an area where a possible tropical cyclone is developing southeast of the Hawaiian Islands (12 North 140 West). A rainfall analysis from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments is shown on the left overlaid on a GOES-WEST image received at the exact same time. TRMM PR data found powerful storms near the center of the tropical disturbance where rain was falling at a rate of over 105 mm (about 4.1 inches). Radar reflectivity values of over 50dBZ were being returned to the satellite from intense rain

Typhoon Rammasun known locally as "Glenda" is the most powerful typhoon to hit the Philippines this year. As of today, Ten deaths have been attributed to Rammasun. Flooding and landslides are expected due to heavy rainfall. Typhoon Rammasun's track was north of Super Typhoon Haiyan's path of destruction through the Philippines in November 2013. The image above is a preliminary analysis of rainfall during the period when typhoon Rammasun was moving over the Philippines. Typhoon Rammasun's track is shown in red. This analysis is the result of a TRMM-calibrated merged global Multi-satellite