A tropical depression (7E) off the southern coast of Mexico was upgraded by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to tropical storm Greg shortly after the TRMM satellite saw it on 17 August 2011 at 0534 UTC. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) showed that intense convective thunderstorms within the developing storm were dropping rainfall at rates greater than 30mm/hr (1.2 inches) in an area near the center of the storm. Greg is expected to enhance rainfall over the southwest coastline of mexico for the next day or so. Greg is forecast by the NHC to intensify to hurricane strength within 24 hours while

The High Gain Antenna System (HGAS) onboard the GPM Core Observatory finished acoustics and post-environmental deployment testing at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The HGAS will then undergo Thermal Vacuum testing before it is completed and delivered in mid-September. The below video shows a test of the High Gain Antenna System as it will deploy once in orbit aboard the GPM Core Observatory. Learn more about the HGAS and the GPM Core Observatory

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) upgraded tropical depression 06E to tropical storm Fernanda on 16 August 2011 at 0800 UTC after seeing data from a TRMM pass at that time. A rainfall analysis from TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) rainfall data shows that Fernanda contains areas of heavy rainfall. Fernanda was located about 2378 km (~1478 miles) east-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands with wind speeds of about 45 kts (~52 mph) and was moving toward the west at about 8 kts (~9.2 mph). The NHC discussion says that computer guidance indicates considerably more intensification is possible with

The TRMM satellite showed that tropical Storm Gert still contained a few potent thunderstorms when it traveled directly over head on 16 August 2011 at 0005 UTC. As predicted by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) Gert passed to the east of Bermuda. Gert is now expected to accelerate movement toward the northeast and dissipate in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean.