Extreme Rainfall Causes Flooding Over Eastern Australia

A large area of low pressure from the remnants of tropical storm Oswald has caused additional extremely heavy rainfall as it moved southward over eastern Australia. This deluge has caused flooding in areas from the Cape York Peninsula to the Queensland state capital, Brisbane. At least four deaths have been attributed to the high winds and flooding associated with this low pressure system. This image shows a TRMM calibrated Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA) for the period from January 21-28, 2013. This analysis shows that tropical cyclone Oswald dumped over 600mm (~23.6 inches) of

Early Spring-like Storm Brings Severe Weather, Tornadoes to the Southeast

Despite it only being the end of January, a large spring-like storm system recently swept through the central and eastern part of the country, bringing a surge of warm air northward over the eastern third of the country and a threat for severe weather over much of the southeast as a strong jet stream dove down out of the Rockies southward to the northern Gulf Coast before racing northward again on the western side of the Appalachians. TRMM captured this image of a long line of strong storms associated with an advancing cold front stretching from southwest Alabama up through the central part of

TRMM Sees Intensifying Winter Storm

At 1257 UTC (7:57 AM EST) this morning the TRMM satellite passed above a rapidly deepening low pressure center over coastal North Carolina. TRMM already saw stormy weather with this low when it was forming yesterday along the Gulf coast. Another area of low pressure moving from the Mid-West is predicted to merge with this storm and result in extreme blizzard conditions over the North-East. Near hurricane force winds and snowfall depths of over 610mm (~24 inches) are predicted in some areas from New York to Boston. An analysis of rainfall from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation

2013 New England Blizzard

As accurately predicted by the National Weather Service, a blizzard dropped extreme amounts of snow over the North-East beginning on February 8, 2013. An amazing snow depth of 38 inches (~965 mm) was reported in Milford, Connecticut. The blizzard was reportedly the cause of at least 14 deaths in the United States and Canada. The TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is used to estimate precipitation for much of the globe. TMPA (liquid) precipitation totals (mm) are shown for the week from February 4-10 when the blizzard

Tropical Storm Haruna Headed For Madagascar

The TRMM satellite had a good look at a tropical storm called Haruna forming in the Mozambique Channel on February 18, 2013 at 1541 UTC. Haruna was called a tropical storm early today and TRMM had another fairly good view when it flew above at 0811 UTC. Haruna is predicted to intensify to a strong tropical storm with wind speeds of about 50kts (~58 mph) and cross southern Madagascar in a couple days. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) rainfall data were used in the two rainfall analyses shown. TRMM PR showed that very intense rain was falling at a rate of over 134 mm/hr

Tropical Storm Haruna Intensifying

The TRMM satellite flew above intensifying tropical storm Haruna in the Mozambique Channel again on February 20, 2013 at 0717 UTC. A rainfall analysis using data from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments is shown overlaid on a combination visible/infrared image from the Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS). TRMM showed that Haruna had become much better organized than yesterday with intense bands of rainfall circling the tropical cyclone's center of circulation. Some rain in powerful storms on the northern edge of Haruna's center was found by TRMM PR to be

Deadly Tropical Cyclone Haruna Departs Madagascar

Tropical cyclone Haruna has battered southwestern Madagascar with hurricane force winds and flooding rainfall for the past two days. The city of Morombe was heavily damaged and Haruna was reported to have killed six people. The TRMM satellite passed over Haruna yesterday on February 22, 2013 at 1336 UTC when the tropical cyclone was over southwestern Madagascar. TRMM passed almost directly above weakening tropical storm Haruna again today on February 23, 2013 at 0608 UTC. Haruna weakened from category one hurricane force yesterday to tropical storm force today. Today TRMM's Microwave Imager

Tropical Cyclone Rusty Heading For Australia

A tropical cyclone called Rusty developed in the Indian Ocean north of north-western Australia's coast on February 24, 2013. The TRMM satellite viewed the intensifying tropical cyclone when it flew over on February 25, 2013 at 0750 UTC. A rainfall analysis from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) with that orbit is shown overlaid on a visible/infrared image from TRMM's Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS). This analysis showed that Rusty had an extensive area of rainfall surrounding Rusty's very large eye. TRMM PR and TMI instruments found that rain within wide bands of

Powerful Rusty At Australia's Door

Tropical cyclone Rusty's winds had increased to hurricane intensity when the TRMM satellite flew directly above on February 26, 2013 at 0654 UTC. A rainfall analysis derived from TRMM data is shown with the first image. Rain rates in the center of the swath are from the TRMM PR, while those in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI). The rain rates are overlaid on a combination infrared (IR) visible (vis) image derived from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS). TRMM PR found that the heaviest surface rain was coming down at a rate of over 138mm/hr (~5.4 inches). This