tropical storms

GPM Measures Tropical Storm Champi's Heavy Rainfall

On October 16, 2015 at 0216 UTC the GPM core observatory satellite passed above tropical storm Champi as it was drenching the northern Mariana Islands. GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) measured rain within Champi falling at a rate of over 114.8 mm (4.5 inches) per hour in a band of intense showers. GPM's radar sliced through Champi's western side and made 3-D measurements of storm top heights. Radar reflectivity values found to be greater than 15 dBZ are shown in a simulated perspective 3-D view. The lowest Heights are shaded blue and the tallest 3-D 15dBZ surfaces are colored

GPM Sees Tropical Storm Koppu Menacing The Philippines

Tropical storm Koppu was approaching the Philippines with sustained winds estimated of 60 kts (69 mph) when the GPM core observatory satellite passed above on October 15, 2015 at 1436 UTC. A rainfall analysis using data collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) instrument revealed that an eye was very close to forming near Koppu's center of circulation. Rain was measured by GPM's GMI instrument dropping rain at a rate of over 133 mm (5.3 inches) per hour in intense convective thunderstorms just southwest of Koppu's center. Data from GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instrument

Tropical Storm Koppu Heads Toward The Philippines

Tropical storm KOPPU that recently formed northwest of Guam in the western Pacific Ocean may threaten the Philippines in the next five days. A recent prediction by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) indicates that tropical storm KOPPU will intensify to typhoon intensity while heading westward toward the northern Philippines. The GPM core observatory satellite flew over tropical storm KOPPU on October 13, 2015 at 0316 UTC. Data collected with GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments shows that numerous intense thunderstorms near the tropical

Subtropical Storm Joaquin Heads For Europe

Hurricane Joaquin became subtropical while traveling over the cool waters of the North Atlantic. The low pressure center that was once powerful hurricane Joaquin was viewed by the GPM core observatory satellite on October 9, 2015 at 0106 UTC. The low pressure center was moving past the Azores toward landfall in Portugal. GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments measured precipitation within the low pressure center. The most intense rainfall was located northeast of the center of the low and was falling at a rate of over 54 mm (1.1 inches) per hour

Typhoon Dujuan Batters and Drenches Taiwan

Typhoon Dujuan formed in the western Pacific Ocean northwest of Guam on September 21, 2015. Dujuan intensified to a super typhoon with winds of 125 kts (144 mph) on September 27, 2015 as it approached Taiwan. The island of Taiwan experienced extreme rainfall and damaging winds with the passage of typhoon Dujuan. The typhoon also caused hundreds of injuries and at least three deaths in Taiwan. After pounding Taiwan the typhoon started weakening before hitting China. Dujuan dropped light to moderate rainfall over a large area of coastal China while dissipating. A preliminary analysis of Rainfall

Tropical Storm Joaquin forms in the Western Atlantic

Tropical Storm Joaquin became the 10th named storm of the season after forming late last night (EDT) in the western Atlantic midway between the Bahamas and Bermuda from what was previously a tropical depression (#11), which itself had formed a day earlier from an area of low pressure that had been lingering in the region since Saturday. GPM captured this image of Joaquin early this morning at 8:16 UTC (4:16 am EDT) on the 29th of September as the storm was slowly drifting westward about 390 miles east of the northern Bahamas. The image shows rain rates derived from the GPM GMI (outer swath)

Tropical Storm Marty Tries to Strengthen South of Mexico

Tropical Storm Marty, which formed into an depression from an area of low pressure about 300 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico Saturday afternoon (local time), has been trying to strengthen while drifting slowly northward toward the southwest coast of Mexico. This first image was captured by NASA's GPM core satellite at 00:11 UTC 27 September (7:11 pm CDT 26 September) just a few hours after Marty had formed into a tropical depression. GPM shows substantial areas of rain on the eastern half of the storm, but more importantly, there is already evidence of curvature and banding within those

GPM Monitors New Tropical Storm Niala

The GPM core observatory satellite flew directly above newly formed tropical storm NIALA (06C) on September 25, 2015 at 1451 UTC (4:41 AM HST). Rainfall data were collected by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments showing that intense storms just northeast of NIALA's center of circulation were dropping rain at a rate of over 126 mm (4.96 inches) per hour. Another rain band wrapping around NIALA's northeastern side was found to contain rain falling at a rate of over 56 mm (2.2 inches) per hour. 3-D radar reflectivity data collected by GPM's radar

Ida Weakened by Strong Shear in the Atlantic

Tropical Depression Ida has struggled to maintain itself in the Central Atlantic well east of the Leeward Islands where it has been ravaged by strong wind shear. Since forming back on the 18th of September, Ida has not been able to strengthen beyond a moderate tropical storm, reaching a peak intensity of 45 knots (50 mph) early on the morning of the 21st before succumbing to the effects of strong northwesterly winds from an upper-level trough. Since that time, Ida has struggled maintain itself between a depression and a weak tropical storm, while being mired in the Central Atlantic. This most

Meandering Ida's Precipitation Measured By GPM

The GPM core observatory satellite had another good view of meandering tropical storm Ida located in the central Atlantic Ocean on September 24, 2015 at 0756 UTC (3:35 AM EDT). Measurements of precipitation by GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments showed that Ida still contained a few embedded strong convective thunderstorms that were dropping heavy rainfall. Some rainfall was measured by GPM's Ku Band radar falling at a rate of 122 mm (4.8 inches) per hour. GPM's 3-D radar reflectivity data (DPR Ku band) can be used to reveal the intensity of