Hal Pierce

More Tornadoes over the Southern United States

The TRMM satellite flew over tornadic thunderstorms for the second time in less than a week on 9 March 2011 at 1208 UTC ( 6:08 AM CST). By 1652Z (10:52 AM CST) NOAA had received 9 tornado sighting over Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. A precipitation analysis from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) (in the lighter swath) again showed extremely heavy rainfall near tornadic activity. TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) data were used in the image on the upper right to show a 3-D slice through a possible tornado.

TRMM Sees Deadly Louisiana Tornado

The TRMM satellite was flying high over head when it passed above tornadoes occurring in the state of Louisiana on 5 March 2011 at 1411 UTC (8:11 AM CST). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that seven tornadoes were spotted in Louisiana on that date. These tornadoes caused at least 15 injuries and one death with a tornado that hit in the northwest section of Rayne, Louisiana. The image on the left above shows a precipitation analysis using data collected with that TRMM orbit. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) (in the lighter swath)