Typhoons

Powerful Typhoon Goni Brushing The Philippines

Rain bands from typhoon Goni were hitting the island of Luzon in the northern Philippines when the GPM core observatory satellite flew over on August 20, 2015 at 0711 UTC (3:11 PM Philippine Standard Time). GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) clearly showed the intensity of rain falling in Goni's inner and replacement outer eye wall. GMI found that precipitation was falling at a rate of over 88.0 (3.5 inches) in extreme rainfall south of Goni's distinct eye. Radar reflectivity data from GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instrument was used in this view (from the east) to show the 3-D

Intensifying Atsani Viewed By GPM

Atsani is a typhoon today but was an intensifying tropical storm moving over the open waters of the Pacific Ocean on August 16, 2015 when the GPM core observatory satellite flew above at 0601 UTC. An analysis of precipitation derived from GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments is shown overlaid on a 0600 UTC MTSAT-2 visible infrared image. This analysis revealed that very heavy rain that was located south of the storm's center of circulation. Rain there was found to be falling at a rate of over 90 mm (3.5 inches) per hour. A simulated 3-D view of
How Does NASA Study Hurricanes?
Hurricanes are the most powerful weather event on Earth. NASA’s expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) use a variety of tools to predict these storms’ paths. These scientists need a wealth of data to accurately forecast hurricanes. NASA satellites, computer modeling, instruments, aircraft and field missions contribute to this mix of information to give scientists a...
Deadly Typhoon Soudelor's Rainfall Analyzed JacobAdmin Tue, 08/11/2015
Soudelor formed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean well east of Guam on July 20, 2015. Soudelor became more powerful with peak intensity of about 155 kts (178 mph) reached on August 3, 2015 when the super typhoon was well east of Taiwan over the open waters of the Pacific Ocean. Soudelor's winds died down a little but rebounded to with over 100 kts (115 mph) before hitting Taiwan . Although Soudler was still a powerful typhoon when it hit land most deaths and destruction were caused by flooding and mudslides from heavy rainfall not from strong winds. The rugged terrain over typhoon amplified
GPM Sees Typhoon Soudelor On Taiwan's Doorstep JacobAdmin Fri, 08/07/2015
The GPM core observatory satellite continued to provide excellent coverage of Soudelor as the typhoon closed in on Taiwan. GPM flew directly above typhoon Soudelor's eye on August 7, 2015 at 1041Z (6:41 PM Local Time) when wind speeds were 110 kts (127 mph). Rainfall data from GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments revealed very heavy rainfall in spiraling bands rotating around a decaying inner eye wall. Precipitation intensity can be measured by the Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar instrument mounted on the GPM core observatory satellite. Some
GPM Has Another Good Look At Soudelor JacobAdmin Thu, 08/06/2015
Typhoon Soudelor's winds had dropped to 95 kts ( 109 mph) when the GPM core observatory satellite had another excellent daytime view on August 6, 2015 at 0006 UTC. GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data showed that Soudelor had heavy rainfall in an inner eye wall and also in a much larger replacement outer eye wall. The heaviest rain found by GPM was dropping at a rate of close to 70 mm (2.4 inches) per hour in a strong feeder band spiraling in on the southwestern side of the typhoon. Radar reflectivity data from GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data were also used

Typhoon Halola Threatening Japan

Typhoon Halola is predicted by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to weaken to tropical storm intensity over the next couple days while passing to the north of Okinawa, Japan. Recent predictions of Halola's track are shown overlaid in red. The GPM core observatory's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) measured rainfall as it flew directly over typhoon Halola in the western Pacific Ocean on July 23, 2015 at 1414 UTC. A simulated 3-D flyby around typhoon Halola was made from GPM Radar data (Ku Band). This animation shows that that Halola's eye wall was

GPM Sees Halola Becoming A Typhoon

Satellite technology has the ability to see things we could never imagine, like how hard the rain is falling in storms, and how high cloud tops stretch into the atmosphere. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) core observatory satellite does both of those things and has been providing that information each time it passes over Typhoon Halola in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. The GPM core observatory is a joint effort between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. GPM saw Halola when it was strengthening from a tropical storm into a typhoon. GPM flew over Tropical Storm Halola

Weaker Typhoon Nangka Threatens Japan

Typhoon Nangka was a super typhoon with winds of 135 kts (155 mph) over the open waters of the Pacific Ocean last week. Nangka is predicted by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to have weakened to barely typhoon intensity with winds of less than 65 kts ( 75 mph) before hitting Japan on July 16, 2015. The GPM core observatory satellite passed above early in the life of the typhoon on July 6, 2015 when Nangka was east-southeast of Guam. At that time Nangka had formed a nearly perfectly circular eye that contained powerful storms reaching to altitudes of close to 17km (10.5 miles). GPM flew

Two Future Typhoons Monitored By GPM

A chain of tropical cyclones has started forming in the western Pacific Ocean. The GPM core observatory satellite saw two of them this morning. Tropical storm Chan-Hom was seen southeast of Guam by GPM on July 2, 1015 at 0834 UTC. Less than two hours later at 1006 UTC GPM passed over intensifying tropical depression 10W that was located east of the Philippines. Both are expected to become more powerful over the next few days. Typhoon Chan-Hom is predicted by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to pass just northeast of Guam with winds of over 80 kts (92 mph). TD10W is also predicted to be