TRMM

Over the past two weeks, a combination of the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones passing in the vicinity of the northern Philippines has resulted in massive flooding in and around the Philippine capital. It is the worst flooding there since Typhoon Ketsana in 2009, which devastated Manila and killed over 400 people throughout the country. The current flooding began at the end of July with the passing of Typhoon Saola (known as Gener in the Philippines) northeast of Luzon. Although the center of Saola made landfall in northern Taiwan and passed well to the east of Luzon, the storm's

The TRMM satellite saw Ernesto on August 9, 2012 at 0656 UTC ( 2:36 AM EDT) after the tropical storm had moved from the Yucatan Peninsula into the Gulf of Mexico. An analysis of TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) rainfall is shown in the image above. This analysis shows that powerful convective thunderstorms were dropping rain at a rate greater than 50mm/hr (~2 inches) north of the storm's center. TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) data were used in the image below to show a 3-D view of Ernesto's vertical structure. This PR view shows that a few of the powerful convective

The TRMM satellite passed over tropical storm Ernesto on 7 august 2012 at 0711 UTC ( 3:11 AM EDT) as it was heading toward the Yucatan Peninsula. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments show that Ernesto was a little better organized with bands of moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall spiraling into the center of the storm's circulation. A few powerful convective storms are shown located in these widely separated rain bands. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicts that Ernesto will be a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale with winds of about

The TRMM satellite had a good view of Typhoon Haikui on August 6, 2012 at 1857 UTC as it was moving toward China. At that time Haikui was a category one typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane intensity scale with wind speeds of 65 kts (~75 mph). Data from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments show bands of moderate to heavy rainfall around Haikui's large eye. TRMM PR data were also used to show a 3-D cross section through Haikui's eye. This view shows that intense rainfall (45 dBZ) was occurring in the eastern side of Haikui's eye. Typhoon Haikui weakened

The South Pacific hurricane season normally ends in April but tropical cyclone 21P has developed in the South Pacific Ocean between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. The center of the tropical cyclone was directly beneath the TRMM satellite when it passed over on 28 June 2012 at 2225 UTC (~8:25 AM Local time). A rainfall analysis using data from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments shows that the tropical cyclone, although small, was well organized and contained some intense convective storms dropping rainfall at a rate of over 50mm/hr (~2 inches). A 3

The remnant low pressure center from tropical storm Debby is predicted to kick up winds to gale force and cause a few showers today as it passes to the northwest of Bermuda. The TRMM satellite passed over the low early this morning at 0717 (4:17 AM ADT). TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data show that Debby's remnant low contained a few light to moderate showers. A 3-D view using TRMM PR data shows that the most powerful of these storms were only reaching heights of about 10km (~6.2 miles).

Even though it never became more than a tropical storm, the residents of northern and central Florida will remember Debby. Debby, which formed as a tropical storm on the 23rd of June 2012 in the central Gulf of Mexico, took three full days to reach the Big Bend of Florida just 350 miles away. Although the center didn't make landfall until around 5 pm on the afternoon of the 26th when it crossed the coast near Steinhatchee, Florida, Debby's effects were felt well away from the center. Most of the rain and weather associated with Debby were well to the north and east of the center over Florida

Tropical Storm Debby formed on the 23rd of June 2012 in the central Gulf of Mexico, becoming the earliest 4th named storm on record. Debby began as an area of low pressure that moved out of the northwestern Caribbean and into the Gulf. After forming on the afternoon of the 23rd, Debby has moved very slowly under the influence of weak steering currents. Debby drifted ever so slowly northward on the night of the 23rd before turning northeast later on the morning of the 24th towards the northeast Gulf Coast of Florida. Despite its slow forward progress and lack of intensification, Debby has

The TRMM satellite traveled directly above tropical storm Debby's location early this morning at 0656 UTC ( 2:56 AM EDT). TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data from that pass shows that Debby was dropping heavy rainfall in a large area on the eastern side of the Gulf Of Mexico. Most of the powerful convective storms producing this rainfall are shown by TRMM to be located well to the northeast of Debby's center of circulation. A forecast track from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) was overlaid on the image above. It shows that Debby is expected to stengthen and travel

An upper-level trough of low-pressure dropping down out of the Canadian Rockies in combination with a persistent frontal boundary and high pressure over the Southeast, combined to bring about strong storms and flooding over the Upper Midwest. The storms brought the worst flooding on record to Duluth, Minnesota where as much as 10 inches of rain were reported over a 2-day period from 19th to the 20th of June, resulting in flash flooding and many washed out roads. Even the zoo was flooded. Washed out roads were blamed for 3 fatalities in nearby Wisconsin. Counter-clockwise flow around high