Extreme Weather

For the better part of a week, a persistent, mid-level area of low pressure has been tapping into warm, moist air to produce stormy weather in the northeastern Gulf Of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) monitored this stormy area for possible development but unfavorable upper-level winds and the close proximity to land prevented development into a tropical system. However, during the past week from as much as 4 to over 15 inches (254-381 mm) of rain fell along the Gulf Coast from Tampa northward through the Big Bend to as far west as central Louisiana. So far the highest rainfall

Hurricane Earl began as a tropical wave that was tracked by the National Hurricane Surface (NHC) from the African Coast to the Caribbean Sea. The tropical wave drenched the Dominican Republic where it was blamed for the deaths of six people. Southwest of Jamaica on August 2, 2016 the tropical wave developed a closed circulation and Earl was upgraded to a tropical storm. On Wednesday August 3, 2016 Earl became a hurricane when it was located about 150 miles east of Belize. On Thursday Earl made landfall just southwest of Belize City, Belize at about 0600 UTC (2 AM EDT). At landfall Earl had

Tropical storm Javier formed on August 7, 2016 in the Eastern Pacific Ocean off Mexico's western coast. Javier formed partially from the remnants of Hurricane Earl. Landslides caused by heavy rainfall from Hurricane Earl caused the reported deaths of at least 39 people in eastern Mexico. The GPM core observatory satellite flew above tropical storm Javier on August 8, 2016 at 0419 UTC. Rainfall was analyzed using GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments. Those data showed that Javier was producing heavy rainfall both near the center of the tropical

On August 2, 2016 Ivette became the 11th tropical cyclone this year in the eastern Pacific. Tropical cyclones have formed in the eastern Pacific this year at almost the same frequency as in 2015. Ivette has been moving toward the central Pacific Ocean. Warm ocean water and low vertical wind shear are expected to help Ivette intensify to hurricane intensity in a few days. The GPM core observatory passed over the eastern side of tropical storm Ivette on August 4, 2016 at 0606 UTC. GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data showed that storms around Ivette

Tropical storm Earl has been intensifying as it moves through the Caribbean Sea. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) now predicts that Earl will be a hurricane before it hits Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula tomorrow afternoon. Earl is predicted by NHC to remain in a light to moderate vertical wind shear environment over very warm sea surface temperatures until landfall. The GPM core observatory satellite passed over intensifying tropical storm Earl in the Caribbean Sea northeast of Honduras on August 3, 2016 at 0356 UTC ( August 2, 2016 11:56 PM EDT). GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency

Today a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea south of Cuba developed a closed circulation center and was then designated tropical storm Earl by the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Earl is the fifth tropical cyclone to form in the Atlantic Ocean this year. The GPM core observatory satellite flew over the forming tropical storm on August 2, 2016 at 1436 UTC (10:36 AM EDT). GPM's Microwave Imager (GPM) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data were used in this analysis to show precipitation accompanying Earl. GPM's GMI provided excellent coverage of heavy convective rainfall in the

NASA analyzed rainfall data from slow-moving storms that triggered flash floods over parts of central Maryland and caused devastating flooding in historic Ellicott City, Maryland. A slow-moving line of heavy thunderstorms dumped as much as 6 to 7 inches of rain in about two hours' time during the evening of Saturday, July 30, over parts of Howard County in central Maryland, resulting in severe local flash flooding. The hardest hit area was the historic town of Ellicott City, where two people were trapped in their cars and drowned. The town suffered substantial damage to many buildings

Most of the Hawaiian Islands were spared serious damage from tropical storm Darby. The location of Darby's track through the Hawaiian Islands resulted in the islands of Hawaii and Oahu being the most affected. Flash flooding was common on Oahu due to a reported 177.8 mm (7 inches) of rain drenching the island. Interstate H-1 was flooded in some locations. Lightning damage was reported in Kaneohe on the windward side of Oahu. Estimates of rainfall accompanying tropical storm Darby were produced using NASA's Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) data. These IMERG rainfall

Tropical storm Darby has caused some heavy rainfall in the Hawaiian Islands since hitting the big island (Hawaii) on Saturday July 23, 2016. After hitting the big island Darby passed to the south of Molokai and Maui. Rain falling at a rate of 25.4 mm (1 inch) to 50.8 mm (2 inches) per hour was reported on the island of Oahu as Darby passed to the southwest of the island. The National Weather Service office in Honolulu reported that parts of Interstate H-1 that serves the southern side of Oahu was closed due to flooding on Sunday night. Darby is affecting northern Kaui today. The GPM core

The eastern Pacific Ocean continues to show that it's environment is favorable for the birth of tropical cyclones. Tropical Depression EIGHT-E (TD08E) quickly followed tropical storm FRANK as the latest example of tropical cyclogenesis in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The GPM core observatory satellite examined TD08E when it flew directly above on July 22, 2016 at 0931 UTC. At that time maximum sustained winds were only estimated to be about 30 kts (34.5 mph). Rainfall was examined in TD08E using data collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR)