The rainfall analysis above uses near-real-time, TRMM-based precipitation estimates (3B42)from a merger of all available satellite data. This Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) done at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center provides estimates of rainfall over the global Tropics. This rainfall analysis shows the rainfall from February 8-15, 2012 that was mainly caused by tropical cyclone Giovanna when it passed over Madagascar. This analysis indicates that the highest rainfall totals of over 250mm (~10 inches) fell in the coastal area east of Madagascar's capitol of Antananarivo. In

The TRMM Satellite had a fairly good early morning view of powerful tropical cyclone Giovanna approaching Madagascar on 13 February 2012 at 0333 UTC. Rainfall from TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) data is shown overlaid on a visible/infrared image from TRMM's Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS) instrument. Giovanna was an intensifying category 4 tropical cyclone with with wind speeds estimated at over 125 kts (~144 mph) and is predicted by the JTWC to become slightly more powerful before hitting Madagascar.

Tropical cyclone Giovanna was located in the Indian Ocean east-northeast of Madagascar when it was classified as a tropical storm on 9 Febuary 2012. The TRMM satellite image above shows Giovanna when it was rapidly becoming more powerful on 11 February 2012 at 1200 UTC. Giovanna had intensified to a category 3 tropical cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson scale with wind speeds estimated at 100 kts (~115 mph). This TRMM pass shows that an eyewall replacement was occurring at that time. A small ring of strong convective storms was located around the center of the center eye and other powerful storms