Hurricanes

The first hurricane of the eastern Pacific hurricane 2014 season, called Amanda, reached wind speeds estimated at 135 kts (about 190 mph) on May 25, 2014. This made it a category four on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Fortunately the powerful hurricane was over open waters well to the southwest of Mexico's coast when the maximum intensity was reached. The images above show data collected when the TRMM satellite passed overhead on Saturday May 24, 2014 at 2150 UTC. Rainfall data from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments are shown overlaid on a GOES-15

Powerful hurricane Raymond, located off Mexico's south-central Pacific coast, has weakened to a tropical storm. It has now started to move slowly away from the location where it has been parked since Monday October 21, 2013. Raymond dropped abundant rainfall in much of the same area already hit by deadly flooding and landslides with Hurricane Manuel last month. The rainfall analysis above was made at Goddard Space Flight Center using TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation data (TMPA) collected during the period from October 15 to 23, 2013. Rainfall totals greater than 125mm (

A month ago hurricane Manuel caused caused landslides and extensive flooding along Mexico's Pacific Ocean coast. Recently formed hurricane Raymond is expected to cause heavy rainfall in nearly the same area. The TRMM satellite flew directly above hurricane Raymond on October 21, 2013 at 0111 UTC (October 20 at 6:11 PM PDT). TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) data from that orbit shows that hurricane Raymond contained towering thunderstorms on the western side of the eye wall that were reaching to heights above 15km (~9.3 miles). TRMM PR also recorded precipitation in Raymonds eye wall that was

As predicted by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), tropical storm Manuel became a category one hurricane yesterday evening. Manuel, located over the southern Gulf Of California, was an intensifying tropical storm with maximum wind speeds of about 50kts (~57.5 mph) when viewed by the TRMM satellite on September 18, 2013 at 1845 UTC. Manuel had intensified and was a minimal hurricane, hugging Mexico's coast, with wind speeds of about 65kts (~75.8 mph) when seen again by TRMM on September 19, 2013 at 0116 UTC. Rainfall analyses that used TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR

Mexico's Pacific and Gulf coasts are both being inundated by tropical cyclone rainfall at the same time. Tropical storm Manuel has dropped very heavy rainfall along Mexico's Pacific coast. 21 people have been reported killed in this area due to flooding and landslides caused by extreme rainfall. At the same time hurricane Ingrid weakened to a tropical storm and came ashore from the Gulf Of Mexico into the state of Tamaulipas near La Pesca, Mexico . The approximate 0000Z and 1200Z locations of the tropical cyclones are shown overlaid in white. The TRMM-based, near-real time Multi- satellite

The TRMM satellite flew over on September 16, 2013 at 0227 UTC (10:57 PM September 16) when Ingrid was still a hurricane in the Gulf Of Mexico. Data collected by TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments show that rain was falling at a rate of over 100mm/hr (~4 inches) in strong storms near Ingrid's center.

Southwesterly wind shear has taken it's toll on hurricane Humberto. An eye was no longer distinct in data collected when the TRMM satellite passed over on September 12, 2013 at 1625 UTC (12:25 PM EDT). An analysis derived from TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data shows that most of the precipitation with Humberto was then located in the northwestern quadrant. TRMM found that the most intense rain was falling at a rate of over 99mm/hr (~3.9 inches) at 22.4 North 28.7 West near Humberto's center. TRMM PR also found that the highest storm towers were reaching heights of

Hurricane Barbara recently made landfall along the southern Pacific coast of Mexico. According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the center of the storm came ashore around 19:50 UTC (12:50 pm PDT) Wednesday May 29th about 35 km (~20 miles) west of Tonala, Mexico as a minimal Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. TRMM captured the first image of Barbara several hours after it made landfall. The image was taken at 6:46 pm PDT 29 May (01:46 UTC 30 May) 2013 and shows the horizontal distribution of rain intensity within the storm. Rain rates in the center of the swath

Hurricane Rafael has started to pick up speed after it passed to the east of Bermuda. This image shows a TRMM rainfall analysis that used data collected from two recent passes above Hurricane Rafael. The first orbit was on Tuesday October 16, 2012 at 2250 UTC (6:50 PM EDT). The second orbit received data when TRMM passed over on Wednesday October 17, 2012 at 0028 UTC (8:28 PM EDT on October 16, 2012). TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data show that Rafael was producing rainfall over a large area of the Atlantic. Bermuda was shown getting light to moderate rain showers