Two powerful tropical cyclones called Ikola and Joalane are now moving through the South Indian Ocean. The GPM core observatory satellite flew over intensifying cyclone Joalane in the South Indian Ocean on April 6, 2015 at 0406 UTC. GPM's Microwave Imager(GMI) found that intense convective thunderstorms within Joalane were dropping rain at a rate of over 63 mm (2.5 inches) per hour. Cyclone Joalane was located northeast of Mauritius at the time of this GPM pass. A 3-D view of Joalane's vertical precipitation structure was constructed from GPM's Radar (Ku Band) data. This cross section shows

The TRMM satellite's Microwave Imager (TMI) instrument collected data used in this rainfall analysis when the satellite flew over tropical storm Ikola in the South Indian Ocean on April 5, 2015 at 1722 UTC. TMI data revealed the location of rain falling at a rate of over 50 mm (amost 2 inches) per hour around Ikola's eye.

Typhoon Maysak caused the reported deaths five people in the Federated States of Micronesia and as a tropical storm killed seven others when it hit the the north-eastern Philippines. The GPM core observatory satellite passed above dissipating typhoon Maysak when it was approaching the Philippines on April 3, 2015 at 2326 UTC. An analysis of rainfall from GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) showed that Maysak was dropping rain at a rate of over 69 mm (2.7 inches) per hour. Vertical wind shear was causing typhoon Maysak to weaken as it moved toward the Philippines but data from GPM's Dual-Frequency

As typhoon Maysak heads toward the Philippines yet another tropical cyclone was born today in the the Pacific Ocean west of Pohnpei. The GPM core observatory satellite had a good view of tropical depression five on April 3, 2015 at 1031 UTC. GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) found that rain was dropping at a rate of 22.4 mm (.9 inches) per hour in bands of convective storms located northwest of the center of circulation. The 3-D view from GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (Ku Band) shows that some of these storms were reaching heights of over 14.7 km (9.1 miles).

The GPM core observatory satellite passed above typhoon Maysak in the western Pacific Ocean on April 2, 2015 at 2343 UTC. GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) found heavy rain in Maysak's northwestern side but the typhoon had weakened from it's peak intensity of over 130 kts (150 mph) to about 115 kts (132 kts) at the time of this satellite view. GPM's Radar (Ku Band) was used in this 3-D view to show vertical structure within typhoon Maysak. This view, looking toward the southwestern side of Maysak's eye, shows that the eye wall was eroding on that side. Vertical wind shear has contributed to typhoon