Hurricane Irene's impact in New England shows that tropical cyclones can greatly affect regions outside the view of TRMM. The GPM mission will build upon TRMM's legacy by examining a larger swath of Earth with more sensitive instruments.

How do Hurricanes Form?

Primary Topic:

Weather and Climate

Subtopics:

Weather, Tropical Cyclones

Type:

Article

Audience:

Informal, General

Standards:

ESS2.C

Keywords:

hurricanes, typhoons, hot towers, low pressure, cumulonimbus

Summary:

Hurricanes are the most awesome, violent storms on Earth. People call these storms by other names, such as typhoons or cyclones, depending on where they occur. Whatever they are called, tropical cyclones all form the same way.

Hurricane / Tropical Cyclones: Technologies

Primary Topic:

Technology

Subtopics:

Weather and Climate, Tropical Cyclones, Remote Sensing

Type:

Website

Audience:

Informal, Formal, 6 - 8, 9 - 12

Keywords:

hurricanes, GPS, airborne science, altimitry

Standards:

ESS2.A

Summary:

This website explores the technologies used to study and understand tropical cyclones.

Flying Through Hurricanes with Robbie Hood

Primary Topic:

Weather and Climate

Subtopics:

Tropical Cyclones, STEM Careers, Forecasting

Type:

Article

Audience:

Informal, Formal, General

Standards:

ESS2.D, ESS3.B

Keywords:

hurricane, storm severity, precipitation, clouds

Summary:

This month's NASA Earth Explorer explains what it's like to be face-to-face with one of nature's most powerful storms.

NASA's Hurricane Hunters

Primary Topic:

Technology

Subtopics:

Tropical Cyclones, Remote Sensing

Type:

Video

Audience:

Informal, Formal, 6 - 8, 9 - 12

Keywords:

airplane, aeronautics, UAV, Global Hawk, hurricane eye

Summary:

During the 2010 hurricane season, NASA deployed its piloted DC-8 and WB-57, and unmanned Global Hawk aircraft, arming hurricane researchers with the information needed to predict the growth and intensification of hurricanes.

Unmanned NASA Storm Sentinels set for Hurricane Study

Primary Topic:

Technology

Subtopics:

Weather and Climate, Remote Sensing

Type:

Article

Audience:

Informal, Formal, 6 - 8, 9 - 12

Keywords:

airplane, aeronautics, UAV, sensors, hurricanes

Summary:

NASA will dispatch two unmanned aircraft equipped with specialized instruments high above tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean basin. These "severe storm sentinels" will investigate the processes that underlie hurricane formation and intensity change.

NASA Our World: What is a Hurricane?

Primary Topic:

Weather and Climate

Subtopics:

Earth Systems, Weather

Type:

Video

Audience:

Informal, Formal, K - 5

Standards:

ESS2.A, ESS2.D

Keywords:

hurricanes, tropical cyclones, hot towers, meteorologists

Summary:

This NASA video segment explains the formation of hurricanes. Go behind the scenes with a meteorologist at the Weather Channel in Atlanta, Georgia to learn how scientists predict hurricanes and hurricane formation.

Hurricane Katrina: A Problem-Based Learning Module

Primary Topic:

Weather and Climate

Subtopics:

Weather, Climate, Societal Applications

Type:

Lesson Plan

Audience:

Formal, 9 - 12, 6 - 8

Keywords:

hurricanes, severe weather, climate change

Summary:

In this activity, students are tasked with conducting an Earth systems analysis of Hurricane Katrina that will help answer the question "Is global warming causing an increase in hurricane frequency and intensity?"