Extreme Weather

The GPM core observatory satellite again passed over the center of tropical cyclone IRIS on April 6, 2018 at 0027 UTC (10:27 AM AEST). The location of IRIS' low level center of circulation is shown here with a red tropical storm symbol. Data collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) revealed that heavy convective rainfall was sheared to the southeast of IRIS' surface center of circulation. Those GMI data showed that precipitation in that area of strong convection was falling at a rate greater than 59 mm (2.3 inches) per hour while data received by GPM's Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR)

IRIS has taken a long, fluctuating and serpentine trek since the tropical cyclone formed in the Coral Sea northeast of Australia on March 24. For a while IRIS weakened and was downgraded to a tropical low. The tropical low moved toward the northeastern coast of Australia and was upgraded again to tropical cyclone IRIS on April 2. The tropical cyclone has then moved generally southeastward parallel to the Australian coast. This analysis from data collected by Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments shows that extremely heavy rain was falling west of IRIS'

Tropical cyclone Josie didn't make landfall in Fiji but it's heavy rainfall resulted in deadly flooding. Approximate locations of tropical cyclone Josie, as it moved close to Fiji, are shown overlaid in white. Josie's clockwise circulation streamed moisture over Fiji causing flooding that led to the deaths of at least four people. This rainfall accumulation analysis used Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) data. Those data are generated by NASA's Precipitation Processing System every half hour within about 6 hours from when data are acquired. IMERG data are acquired from the

Tropical storm JELAWAT intensified as expected and was upgraded to typhoon JELAWAT yesterday. Today JELAWAT has continued to rapidly intensify and maximum sustained wind speeds in the typhoon were estimated at 115 kts (132 mph). The GPM core observatory satellite had an excellent view of rapidly intensifying tropical storm JELAWAT on March 29, 2018 at 1546 UTC. JELAWAT had wind speeds of about 60 kts (69 mph) when GPM passed over head. An eye hadn't formed yet but rain bands were wrapping around JELAWAT's well established center of circulation. GPM's radar (DPR Ku Band) revealed that rain was

The GPM core observatory satellite flew almost directly above large intensifying tropical storm JELAWAT on March 28, 2018 at 0510 UTC. Rainfall measurements shown here were derived from data collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments. These satellite instruments provided excellent coverage of JELAWAT's precipitation. GPM's Radar (DPR Ku Band) swath included exceptionally powerful storms within a large intense feeder band that was wrapping around the eastern side of the tropical storm. GPM's DPR revealed that these strong convective storms

Tropical Cyclone NORA produced heavy rainfall when it came ashore in northwestern Queensland on March 24, 2018 (GMT). NORA's peak intensity of 95 kts (109 mph) was reached when the tropical cyclone was located in the central northern Gulf Of Carpentaria. Winds had decreased slightly to 90 kts (104 mph) by landfall. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) reported that NORA produced over 110 mm (4.3 inches) of rain in 24 hours. Flooding, landslides, lost electrical power, and structural damage were also a companion of the tropical cyclone's arrival. After landfall NORA weakened but the

Intensifying tropical cyclone NORA has been moving southeastward into the Gulf of Carpentaria since it formed in the Arafura Sea north-northeast of Darwin,Australia. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued it's first warning for Tropical cyclone NORA on March 22, 2018 at 0900Z. After that NORA's winds increased to over 65 kts (75 mph). That means that today NORA became the equivalent of a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. The GPM core observatory satellite scanned tropical cyclone NORAas it passed above on March 22, 2018 at 1847 UTC. GPM's Microwave

More than 90,000 customers were without power overnight after another major nor’easter — the fourth in three weeks — pummeled areas of the U.S. east coast with as much as 19 inches of snow on the first full day of spring. GPM collected this precipitation data as it flew over the storm the evening of Wednesday March 21st, 2018 at 6:04pm ET.

Tropical cyclone ELIAKIMS's heavy rainfall caused flooding and landslides over eastern Madagascar that resulted in at least seven deaths. ELIAKIM came less than two weeks after another tropical cyclone called Dumazile passed close to Madagascar. ELIAKIM maintained but didn't exceed tropical storm intensity as it battered Madagascar. ELIAKIM's slower movement as it passed over the island nation caused continuous heavy rainfall over northeastern Madagascar. Tropical cyclone ELIAKIM has now moved back into the Indian Ocean and is moving toward the southeast and away from Madagascar. This rainfall

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued it's first warning for tropical cyclone ELIAKIM on March 15, 2018 at 0300 UTC as the tropical cyclone moved closer to the northeastern tip of Madagascar. It's maximum sustained wind speeds had increased to 50 kts (57.5 mph) by March 15, 1200 UTC. Forming tropical cyclone ELIAKIM was shown with improved organization when the GPM core observatory satellite flew above on March 14, 2018 at 1356 UTC. GPM's Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data revealed that intense convective storms were occurring in the northwest quadrant of the forming