The TRMM satellite passed over tropical storm DON on 29 July 2011 at 0650 UTC (1:50 AM CDT) while the storm was in the Gulf Of Mexico. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) data were used in the image on the right to show rainfall overlaid on an infrared image from TRMM's Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS) instrument. This image shows that DON had become larger and better organized since last seen by TRMM. Also the area of rainfall was larger with some moderate to heavy rainfall located near the storm's center. Texas has been suffering from extreme drought this year so DON's rainfall may provide some

An area of disturbed weather in the southern Gulf Of Mexico was upgraded by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to tropical storm DON on 27 July 2011 at 2100 UTC (4 PM CDT). The TRMM satellite had a fairly good view of tropical Storm DON when it passed over on 28 July 2011 at 0609 UTC (2:09 AM EDT). A red tropical storm symbol shows the position, north of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, where DON was located at that time. A rainfall analysis from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) data shows that DON was dropping moderate to heavy rainfall in the eastern side of the small storm. The NHC predicts that

On 26 July at 1435 UTC (10:35 AM EDT) the TRMM satellite passed above a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea southwest of Cuba. On 27 July this area was given a high (80%) probability of development into a tropical cyclone by the National Hurricane Center (NHC). TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) data indicates that a convective tower within this area of disturbed weather reached to heights of over 15 km (~9.3 miles).

The TRMM satellite saw two tropical storms in the western Pacific Ocean as they were in early stages of development. These 3-D views were made from TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) data collected on 25 July 2011 at 1631 UTC and 26 July 2011 at 0049 UTC. Those data show that developing tropical storms NOCK-TEN (10W) and 11W both had towering convective storms near their centers of circulation that extended to heights above 15km (~9.3 miles). These tall towers are associated with convective bursts and can be a sign of future strengthening because they indicate areas where energy is being released