TRMM

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

Both Taiwan and Southern Japan have had extreme amounts of rainfall contributed by tropical cyclones during the past week. Tropical storm Talim weakened to a tropical depression on June 18, 2012 after passing over the northern tip of Taiwan. Flooding, landslides and at least one death in Taiwan were reportedly caused by Talim. The weakening tropical depression is now affecting Japan in areas that were just drenched by Typhoon Guchol's passage. This image shows rainfall from data collected with two TRMM satellite orbits as it passed over that area. TRMM passed over on June 20, 2012 at 2308 UTC

Tropical storm Talim has produced torrential rainfall over southern Taiwan as it pumped warm moist air from the South China Sea over mountainous terrain. The TRMM satellite flew over tropical storm Talim in the Taiwan Strait on 20 June 2012 at 0140 UTC. TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) data from this orbit shows that tropical storm Talim was dropping rainfall at a rate of almost 50mm/hr over Taiwan. TRMM data captured with that orbit shows that the most intense rainfall of over 50mm/hr (~2 inches) was located over the Strait Of Taiwan. Flash flooding and landslides are probable in southern Taiwan