Typhoons

GPM: Hurricanes Beyond the Tropics

Submitted by JacobAdmin on Tue, 08/28/2012
Video Embed

On August 28, 2011, Tropical Storm Irene hit Vermont, causing widespread damage and the worst flooding in 75 years. Irene's impact in New England shows that tropical cyclones can greatly affect regions outside the view of TRMM. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission will build upon TRMM's legacy by examining a larger swath of Earth with more sensitive instruments.

 

Typhoon Haikui Heading Toward China

The TRMM satellite had a good view of Typhoon Haikui on August 6, 2012 at 1857 UTC as it was moving toward China. At that time Haikui was a category one typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane intensity scale with wind speeds of 65 kts (~75 mph). Data from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments show bands of moderate to heavy rainfall around Haikui's large eye. TRMM PR data were also used to show a 3-D cross section through Haikui's eye. This view shows that intense rainfall (45 dBZ) was occurring in the eastern side of Haikui's eye. Typhoon Haikui weakened

Intensifying Typhoon Guchol Viewed By TRMM

Typhoon Guchol in the western Pacific Ocean is becoming increasingly more powerful and was seen by the TRMM satellite on Friday June 15, 2012 at 0443 UTC. The center of the intensifying typhoon was covered very well by TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) data. TRMM PR showed that very heavy rainfall was occurring in the eastern side of Guchol's eye wall. This 3-D image (looking toward the east) from TRMM PR data reveals that towering storms in the eastern side of Guchol's eye were reaching the amazing height of almost 17km (~10.56 miles). Intense rainfall in Guchol's eye wall was returning values

Pakhar Becomes a Typhoon

Tropical storm Pakhar was upgraded to typhoon intensity shortly after the TRMM satellite passed over head again on 29 March 2012 at 2114 UTC. An analysis of TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) rainfall are shown overlaid on an enhanced infrared image from the Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS) instrument. TMI rainfall data indicated that the largest area of precipitation was located to the southwest of the storm's center. PR data shows that there were scattered powerful storms around Pakhar dropping rainfall at a rate of over 50mm/hr (~2 inches). Pakhar's is forecast to

Typhoon Pakhar Moving Toward Vietnam

The TRMM satellite flew almost directly over a newly formed tropical storm in the South China Sea on 29 March 2012 at 1122 UTC. Pakhar is the first typhoon to form in the northern hemisphere this year. The intensifying storm had wind speeds of about 45 kts (~52 mph) and was moving toward the west-northwest when viewed by this TRMM pass. Pakhar is predicted to be stronger with wind speeds of at least 60 kts (~69 mph) when it crosses into southeastern Vietnam on 31 March 2012. The rainfall analysis above used data from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments. It

Tropical Storm Nalgae Weakens

was a tropical storm and weakening rapidly when the TRMM satellite saw it on 4 October 2011 at 0624 UTC. This rainfall analysis from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) shows only scattered areas of light to moderate rainfall were present with Nalgae as it moved into the Gulf Of Tonkin west of Hainan. Click here to see earlier TRMM information about Nalgae.

Nalgae Exits The Philippines and Heads Toward China

The TRMM satellite had a good look at typhoon Nalgae on 2 October 2011 at 0637 UTC after it became the second typhoon in a week to hit the Philippines. Nalgae was in the middle of the South China Sea headed toward southern Hainan. In this image a rainfall analysis from TMI and PR data was overlaid on a combination Infrared and Visible image from TRMM's Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS) instrument. See earlier information about Nalgae

Typhoon Nalgae Menaces the Philippines

The Philippines is still reeling from the devastation caused by typhoon Nesat as another typhoon called Nalgae approaches from the east. Nalgae formed on 27 October 2011 near the same area of the western Pacific Ocean where Nesat originated. The TRMM satellite had a daylight look at Nalgae (known as Quiel in the Philippines) on 30 September 2011 at 0653 UTC. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data shows heavy rainfall near Nalgae's eye. The total area of rainfall isn't as extensive as it was with typhoon Nesat at this distance from the Philippines. Click here to see a

Deadly Typhoon Nesat Hits The Philippines

Powerful typhoon Nesat (known locally as Pedring) came ashore in the Philippines on Tuesday September 27, 2011 causing the deaths of at least 33 people. Nesat was classified as a category three typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson scale with winds of 105 knots (~121 mph) before hitting the island of Luzon. The rainfall analysis above is the result of a TRMM-calibrated merged global Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA) performed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). These MPA rainfall total estimates were for the period from 24-29 September 2011. This analysis indicates that the highest