Extreme Weather

Yesterday tropical Cyclone Dahlia became the first tropical cyclone of the 2017-2018 Southwest Indian Ocean season. Today, Dahlia was moving toward the southeast and was passing to the south of the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra with wind speeds of about 35 kts (40.3 mph). Tropical cyclone Dahlia was passing over the warm ocean waters (28-29 degrees Celsius) of the Indian Ocean. On November 29, 2017 at 1731 UTC NASA's GPM Core Observatory satellite passed above forming tropical cyclone Dahlia. Data collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR)

Intense rain storms have moved into Jeddah, Saudi Arabia today. Heavy downpours caused schools and universities to close. The General Authority of Meteorology and Environment Protection predicts that Heavy rain will continue for a couple days. NASA's GPM Core Observatory satellite measures precipitation from space with the first space-borne Ku/Ka-band Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) and a multi-channel GPM Microwave Imager (GMI). The satellite passed over western Saudi Arabia on November 21, 2017 at 0123Z. GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR)

The GPM core observatory satellite provided information about rainfall associated with the remnants of tropical storm Haikui on November 2017 at 0929 UTC. Earlier this month, typhoon Damrey caused widespread destruction when it hit Vienam on November 4, 2017. Fortunately tropical storm Haikui dissipated over the South China Sea before it reached Vietnam. Rainfall data collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments revealed that some storms with tropical storm Haikui's remnants contained light to moderate precipitation. A small cluster of

Typhoon Damrey originated as a tropical depression over the Philippines on October 31, 2017. Damrey intensified while moving westward over the South China Sea and became a typhoon on November 3, 2017. Typhoon Damrey hit Vietnam's south central coast the next day with sustained winds of about 75 kts (~86 mph). Torrential rainfall led to deadly flooding. As much as 580 mm (22.8 inches) of rain was reported near the coast well north of where typhoon Damrey came ashore. The Vietnamese government reported that Damrey was responsible for 89 deaths. This rainfall accumulation analysis was derived

Tornadoes were reported yesterday evening in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. At least nine twisters were reported between 1:40 PM EST and 6:22 EST (1840 - 2322 utc). This unsettled weather caused many customers to lose electric power in northern Ohio. One powerful storm injured eight people in the northern Ohio town of Celina. The severe weather may also be the cause of two deaths in Erie Pennsylvania. The GPM core observatory satellite had an exceptional view of the extreme weather in northeastern Ohio on Sunday November 5, 2017 at 6:12 PM EST ( 2312 UTC). The GPM satellite scanned tornado

Typhoon Damrey has been increasing in intensity since forming in the South China sea west of the Philippines on November 1, 2017. Damrey has moved westward through the South China Sea and is now threatening southern Vietnam. The GPM core observatory satellite passed above Damrey on November 3, 2017 at 0118 UTC when the typhoon's winds had reached about 65 kts (75 mph). The satellite's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments collected data showing the locations of rainfall within the typhoon. Damrey's center of circulation was evident but the typhoon didn

NASA's Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals (IMERG) data were used in this analysis to show total rainfall accumulation estimates during the period from October 27 - 31, 2017. Tropical storm Philippe formed and dissipated during that period. The tropical storm formed over the western Caribbean from tropical depression eighteen on October 28, 2017. Philippe then drenched western Cuba as it moved toward the northeast. It dropped a reported 10 inches (254 mm) of rain over southeastern Florida before dissipating in the Atlantic Ocean. Moisture from Philippe's remnants added to heavy rainfall

The GPM satellite showed the distribution and intensity of precipitation on the eastern side of the low pressure center. The approximate location of the storm's center at the time of the GPM pass is shown with a large red "L". GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) showed that a large area of intense rain was located in the Atlantic east of the low's center. GMI estimated that rain in that area was falling at rates of greater than 2 inches (51 mm) per hour. GPM's Precipitation Radar (DPR) instrument showed that the low was dropping rain at a rate of over 4.92 inches (125 mm) per hour in a small area

The GPM core observatory had a fairly good view of tropical storm Saola on October 27, 2017 at 0243 UTC. This image shows the GPM satellite's coverage (lighter shades) of surface rainfall around tropical storm Saola. GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments received data showing the intensity of rainfall over the western half of tropical storm Saola. GPM's radar (DPR Ku Band) discovered that rain was falling at a rate of over 66 mm (2.6 inches) per hour in feeder bands wrapping around that side of the tropical storm. The most intense convective

The GPM core observatory satellite passed above recently formed tropical storm Saola on October 24, 2017 at 0210 UTC. Tropical storm Saola was located west of Guam and was moving toward the northwest. Very heavy rainfall was measured by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments in powerful convective storms to the southwest of Saola's center. GPM's radar (DPR Ku band) found that some storms in this cluster were dropping rain at a rate of greater than 252 mm (9.92 inches) per hour. This 3-D view of the powerful storms southwest of Paola's center of