Lightning

Screenshot of the High-Impact Weather Assessment Toolkit (HIWAT),
Bangladesh has a long history of deadly and costly storms. Because these storms are so localized, they can be notoriously difficult to forecast, especially without access to the most advanced weather prediction technology. Researchers have created a new tool to boost the country’s ability to forecast severe weather. The SERVIR program - a joint initiative of NASA, USAID, and leading geospatial organizations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America - and the Bangladesh Meteorological Department ( BMD ) recently launched the High-Impact Weather Assessment Toolkit ( HIWAT ), a web-based tool that
Shelf cloud approaching the beach.
Thank you to everyone who submitted photos to the first installment of our GPM Extreme Weather Photo Competition. We loved all of your entries and thoroughly appreciate your participation! The GPM Photo Competition Committee is happy to announce our top 5 picks. We’ll be sending the submitters NASA bags and GPM stickers. Please stay tuned for additional contests and activities. Ormond Shelf, by Jason Weingart Date and Location: May 15, 2012 Ormond Beach, Florida How this Photo Was Taken: “I'm a photography student at the University of Central Florida. I began chasing storms a little over three...

Three Bolts, by Brian Allen

Three lightning bolts above Washington DC
Image Caption
Three bolts of lightning strike near Washington DC.

Date and Location:
September 1, 2012
Arlington, Virginia, looking towards Washington DC

How this Photo was Taken:
“This photo was taken on September 1, 2012 in Rosslyn, Arlington, VA, US, using a Canon EOS REBEL T1i camera.

GPM flying over Earth with a data swath visualized.
The Lightning Imaging Sensor is a small, highly sophisticated instrument that detects and locates lightning over the tropical region of the globe. Looking down from a vantage point aboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) observatory, 250 miles (402 kilometers) above the Earth, the sensor provides information that could lead to future advanced lightning sensors capable of significantly improving weather "nowcasting." Using a vantage point in space, the Lightning Imaging Sensor promises to expand scientists' capabilities for surveying lightning and thunderstorm activity on a global...