Hal Pierce

Tropical Storm Dylan (ELEVEN) Heads Toward Queensland

Tropical storm Dylan was heading from the Coral Sea toward Australia's Queensland coast when it was viewed by the TRMM satellite on January 30, 2014 at 0214 UTC. The rainfall analysis above used data collected by TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments. Rainfall is shown overlaid on an enhanced visible/infrared image from TRMM's Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS). TRMM's TMI data revealed that moderate to heavy rain falling at a rate of over 31 mm/hr (about 1.2 inches) was preceding Dylan's movement toward the Australian coast. Dylan's approximate past and

TRMM Sees Potential Tropical Cyclone

The TRMM satellite flew above a tropical low (91S) in the Mozambique Channel on January 28, 2014 at 1011 UTC. TRMM data collected with this pass may be helpful in evaluating this low for possible tropical cyclone formation. An analysis of rainfall from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments are shown on the left overlaid on a visible/infrared image from TRMM 's Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS). TRMM PR measured rain falling at the rate of over 134.9 mm/hr (about 5.3 inches) in a band of powerful convective thunderstorms north of the center of circulation. A 3

Deadly Philippine Flooding And Landslides

People in the southern Philippines are used to heavy rainfall this time of the year but rainfall totals have recently been exceptionally high. A tropical low northeast of Mindanao has been an almost permanent feature on weather maps for the past week. It has caused nearly continuous rain in the area of northeastern Mindanao triggering floods and landslides that have caused the reported deaths of 34 people. The TRMM Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), produced at Goddard Space Flight Center, combines the rainfall estimates generated by TRMM and other satellites (3B42) . The analysis

TRMM's Sees Deadly Ian Hitting Tonga

Tropical cyclone IAN meandered in an area of the Pacific Ocean between Fiji and Tonga as it intensified from tropical storm intensity with winds of 35kts (~41 mph) on January 5, 2014 to a deadly tropical cyclone with winds of 125kts (~144 mph) on January 11, 2014. Tropical cyclone IAN caused extensive damage and an unknown number of deaths when it passed through Tonga at the peak of it's intensity. The TRMM satellite provided excellent coverage of IAN with multiple passes directly above the tropical cyclone. Rainfall data collected by TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR)

Two Southern Hemisphere Tropical Cyclones

Today the TRMM satellite passed above two tropical cyclones in the southern hemisphere. On January 10,2014 at 0117 UTC TRMM had a good daytime view of intensifying tropical cyclone IAN in the south Pacific Ocean east of Fiji with wind speeds over 90kts (~104 mph). Then at 0724 UTC TRMM passed directly above tropical cyclone Colin in the south Indian Ocean that was also intensifying with wind speeds estimated to be above 35kts (~40 mph). Rainfall derived from TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) and Microwave Imager (TMI) data was overlaid on Visible/Infrared images from the Visible and InfraRed

Ian, First 2014 South Pacific Tropical Cyclone

Tropical cyclone IAN became the first tropical cyclone of the 2013-2014 South Pacific season when it formed yesterday north of Tonga. The TRMM satellite passed above IAN this morning at 1133 UTC. IAN is a small tropical cyclone but TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) instrument found that IAN was dropping rain at a rate of over 113 mm/hr (~4.4 inches) in some areas. Since it was launched on November 27, 1997 TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) has been providing 3-D vertical profiles of rain and snow from the surface up to a height of about 12 miles (20 kilometers). A 3-D view of IAN's vertical

Reunion Island Hit Hard By Tropical Cyclone Bejisa

Bejisa's eye passed very close to the West of the French island of Reunion yesterday when maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 105 kts (~121 mph). Bejisa spawned wave heights of 8 meters (~26 feet), caused several serious injuries and extensive power outages. The TRMM satellite had a daytime view of Bejisa today at 1348 UTC after the tropical cyclone's sustained wind speeds had decreased to less than 60kts (~69 mph). Bejisa's past positions are shown overlaid in red on a rainfall analysis made from TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data collected with this pass

Tropical Cyclone Bejisa Shown Menacing Reunion

Extremely powerful tropical cyclone Bejisa has passed just to the west of the French island of Reunion in the southwest Indian Ocean. Bejisa's forward speed and very powerful winds within the tropical cyclone made this a dangerous location for Reunion. Bejisa was moving toward Reunion when the TRMM satellite had an excellent view on January 1, 2014 at 2212 UTC. Bejisa had sustained winds estimated to be over 105kts (~121 mph) at the time of this pass making it equivalent to a category three hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. A rainfall analysis that used data from TRMM's

TRMM Sees More Powerful Bejisa

The TRMM satellite had an excellent view of intensifying tropical cyclone Bejisa northeast of Madagascar on December 31, 2013 at 0004 UTC. As expected, Bejisa became more powerful and had maximum sustained wind speeds estimated at 105 kts (~121 mph) when TRMM flew over. A rainfall analysis from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments is shown overlaid on an enhanced infrared image from the Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS). Extremely heavy rainfall in Bejisa's eye wall returned reflectivity values greater than 55dBZ to the Precipitation Radar (PR) instrument

Tropical Cyclone Bejisa Near Madagascar

A tropical cyclone called Bejisa formed in the South Indian Ocean north-northeast of Madagascar on December 29, 2013 . The TRMM satellite flew over on December 30, 2013 at 0059 UTC. The image on the left shows a TRMM rainfall analysis for intensifying tropical cyclone Bejisa at that time when sustained winds were estimated to be greater than 60 kts (~69 mph). Data collected with TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) instrument provided better coverage of rainfall with this TRMM pass than the Precipitation Radar (PR) instrument that traveled to the northwest of Bejisa's center. The image on the right