TRMM

Today the TRMM satellite passed above two tropical cyclones in the southern hemisphere. On January 10,2014 at 0117 UTC TRMM had a good daytime view of intensifying tropical cyclone IAN in the south Pacific Ocean east of Fiji with wind speeds over 90kts (~104 mph). Then at 0724 UTC TRMM passed directly above tropical cyclone Colin in the south Indian Ocean that was also intensifying with wind speeds estimated to be above 35kts (~40 mph). Rainfall derived from TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) and Microwave Imager (TMI) data was overlaid on Visible/Infrared images from the Visible and InfraRed

Tropical cyclone IAN became the first tropical cyclone of the 2013-2014 South Pacific season when it formed yesterday north of Tonga. The TRMM satellite passed above IAN this morning at 1133 UTC. IAN is a small tropical cyclone but TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) instrument found that IAN was dropping rain at a rate of over 113 mm/hr (~4.4 inches) in some areas. Since it was launched on November 27, 1997 TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) has been providing 3-D vertical profiles of rain and snow from the surface up to a height of about 12 miles (20 kilometers). A 3-D view of IAN's vertical

Bejisa's eye passed very close to the West of the French island of Reunion yesterday when maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 105 kts (~121 mph). Bejisa spawned wave heights of 8 meters (~26 feet), caused several serious injuries and extensive power outages. The TRMM satellite had a daytime view of Bejisa today at 1348 UTC after the tropical cyclone's sustained wind speeds had decreased to less than 60kts (~69 mph). Bejisa's past positions are shown overlaid in red on a rainfall analysis made from TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data collected with this pass

Extremely powerful tropical cyclone Bejisa has passed just to the west of the French island of Reunion in the southwest Indian Ocean. Bejisa's forward speed and very powerful winds within the tropical cyclone made this a dangerous location for Reunion. Bejisa was moving toward Reunion when the TRMM satellite had an excellent view on January 1, 2014 at 2212 UTC. Bejisa had sustained winds estimated to be over 105kts (~121 mph) at the time of this pass making it equivalent to a category three hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. A rainfall analysis that used data from TRMM's

The TRMM satellite had an excellent view of intensifying tropical cyclone Bejisa northeast of Madagascar on December 31, 2013 at 0004 UTC. As expected, Bejisa became more powerful and had maximum sustained wind speeds estimated at 105 kts (~121 mph) when TRMM flew over. A rainfall analysis from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments is shown overlaid on an enhanced infrared image from the Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS). Extremely heavy rainfall in Bejisa's eye wall returned reflectivity values greater than 55dBZ to the Precipitation Radar (PR) instrument

A tropical cyclone called Bejisa formed in the South Indian Ocean north-northeast of Madagascar on December 29, 2013 . The TRMM satellite flew over on December 30, 2013 at 0059 UTC. The image on the left shows a TRMM rainfall analysis for intensifying tropical cyclone Bejisa at that time when sustained winds were estimated to be greater than 60 kts (~69 mph). Data collected with TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) instrument provided better coverage of rainfall with this TRMM pass than the Precipitation Radar (PR) instrument that traveled to the northwest of Bejisa's center. The image on the right

Tropical cyclone Christine was in the South Indian Ocean close to the northwestern coast of Australia when the TRMM satellite passed over on December 30, 2013 at 1113 UTC. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and precipitation Radar (PR) instruments revealed that Christine had a well defined eye. TRMM PR found that the most intense rain was falling at a rate of over 70mm/hr (~2.8 inches) in intense bands well to the east of Christine's eye. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) instrument provided good coverage of Christine's eye while TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) had a good look at Christine's

A powerful tropical cyclone called Bruce formed quickly after tropical cyclone Amara in the south Indian Ocean. Intensifying Tropical cyclone Bruce had winds of over 90kts (~103.5 mph) When the TRMM satellite passed over head on December 19, 2013 at 1800 UTC. A rainfall analysis from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments is shown on the left overlaid on an enhanced infrared image from TRMM's Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS). Bruce was found to have a well defined eye with rain falling at a rate of over 115 mm/hr (~4.5 inches). TRMM PR sliced through the

Yesterday Amara became the third tropical cyclone since October 2013 to form in the South Indian Ocean. TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data captured by the TRMM satellite on December 16, 2013 at 2043 UTC were used in the image on the upper left. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments showed that Amara was getting organized with scattered bands of moderate to heavy rain spiraling into the tropical cyclone's center. TRMM PR located some strong radar reflectivity values of over 47.7 dBZ in rain falling at a rate of over 76.9 mm/hr (~3

The TRMM satellite flew over tropical cyclone Madi in the Bay Of Bengal on December 11, 2013 at 1034 UTC. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments found that Madi contained powerful storms southeast of Madi'a center of circulation dropping rain at the rate of over 81 mm/hr (~3.2 inches). An analysis of Madi's 3-D vertical structure using TRMM PR found that tops of these convective towers were reaching extremely high altitudes greater than 19km(~11.8 miles). Tropical cyclone Madi is predicted by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to weaken while moving over