Until yesterday tornado alley was experiencing a drought of spring tornadoes. The eighteen tornadoes reported in the area yesterday may be a sign of things to come. Moisture laden air from the Gulf Of Mexico is having a more normal interaction with dry air flowing from the desert south-western states (dry line). Wind speed and wind direction change (shear) with height results in thunderstorms that spawn rotation and tornadoes. The GPM core observatory satellite passed over tornado alley in the early morning of May 1, 2018 at 6:28 AM CDT (11:38 UTC). Tornadoes were not observed until the

Tropical cyclone FLAMBOYAN formed in the middle of the South Indian Ocean well to the west of Australia on April 28, 2018. Today FLAMBOYAN's wind speeds have increased to about 70 kts (81 mph) as the tropical cyclone curved toward the south-southwest around the subtropical ridge. The Joint Typhoon Warning center (JTWC) predicts that FLAMBOYAN will start weakening soon as it moves even farther to the south and encounters increasing vertical wind shear and colder ocean temperatures. The GPM core observatory satellite had a good view of the rainfall in tropical cyclone FLAMBOYAN when it flew over

An upper level low generated stormy weather for a few days as it moved through the southeastern Mediterranean. Heavy rainfall in these storms resulted in deadly flash floods that killed ten teenagers in southern Israel. The GPM core observatory satellite passed above intense storms that were moving through the eastern Mediterranean on April 25, 2018 at 1409 UTC (4:09 PM IST). Data collected by the satellite's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments revealed the location of heavy rainfall that was approaching Israel. GPM's radar (DPR Ku Band) measured

The southwest Indian Ocean cyclone season started on November 15, 2017 and will officially end on April 30, 2018. A tropical cyclone labeled FAKIR by Meteo France formed today near northeastern Madagascar. FAKIR is expected to intensify as it moves toward the southeast and could be a significant tropical cyclone tomorrow. This cyclone season has already seen Madagascar battered and drenched by tropical cyclones Ava, Dumazile, and Eliakim. The GPM core observatory satellite flew above the forming late season tropical cyclone near northeastern Madagascar on April 22, 2018. The satellite's