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Browse All : Images of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) from 2006 and 1997 and November 1997

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Floods in Southeast Texas
Title Floods in Southeast Texas
Description Strong southerly winds pumped moist air up from the Gulf of Mexico and across southeastern Texas over the Memorial Day weekend at the end of May 2006. The abundant moisture triggered and sustained thunderstorms over the coastal areas of Texas between May 28 and May 31, 2006. Up to 16 inches of rain were reported in just 24 hours in Chambers County, Texas, east of Galveston Bay, and nearly 12 inches of rain fell in Harris County just outside of Houston. Patches of heavy rain in Southern Texas are clear in this image of satellite-based rainfall totals for May 28-31, 2006. The highest totals (shown in red) occur just inland from the coast near Matagorda Bay along the central part of the Texas Gulf coast where rainfall totals exceed 10 inches (darkest red area). Another area of heavy rain is visible near the border with Louisiana just north of Beaumont, Texas, where amounts are on the order of 7 inches (lighter red area). The totals reported near Galveston Bay and Houston may have been too small in scale (occurred in a very localized area) or occurred over too a brief period to be captured by the satellite, as the image shows relatively low totals in those areas. The image was created from a near-real time, Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The MPA is based on data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite (known as TRMM, [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]) which was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-Earth orbit, TRMM has been measuring rainfall over the global Tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Heavy Rain in Southeastern C …
Title Heavy Rain in Southeastern China
Description Southeastern China was hit hard in May and early June 2006, when heavy rains and flooding killed dozens of people. The problems began when Typhoon Chanchu made landfall along the central southeastern coastline on May 18, 2006. The storm, which had earlier passed through the central Philippines, dumped several inches of rain and battered southern coastal regions leaving 11 people dead. Later in the month and into June, heavy monsoon rains hit the area, leaving many more dead or missing, and forcing numerous evacuations as a result of flooding, say news reports. The provinces of Fujian, Guizhou, and Guangdong were the hardest hit. This image shows rainfall totals over southeastern China as seen by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite (known as TRMM [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]), from May 16 to June 1, 2006. The highest rainfall totals for the period (shown in red) are on the order of 500 millimeters (20 inches) and occur near the coast in the area around Hong Kong in the province of Guangdong. A widespread area of 450-millimeter (8-inch) rainfall totals (green) covers most of southeastern China, with locally heavier amounts of a foot or more (yellow and orange areas). TRMM was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM has been measuring rainfall over the global Tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors. The TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center monitors rainfall over the global Tropics. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Drought in the Southern Unit …
Title Drought in the Southern United States
Description Rainfall across the United States in the winter of 2005-06 has shown the classic pattern of a La Niña event. La Niña is a climate anomaly (departure from average conditions) that consists of cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures (SSTs) across the central and eastern Pacific and warmer-than-average SSTs over the western Pacific. Changes in the atmospheric circulation occur during La Niña events, as well. These combined ocean-atmosphere changes are likely responsible for the drought in the Southwest, the South, the central Plains, and Florida that has led to several devastating wildfires this season. This image shows where daily rainfall was above and below average in the United States between October 2005 and January 2006 compared to the eight-year average for that time frame. Places where rainfall was above average are in blue and green, while places rainfall was below average are in orange and red. The data are from the Tropical-Rainfall-Measuring-Mission-based, near-real-time, Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The Pacific Northwest (green and blue areas), especially along the coast and over the coastal ranges of Northern California, Oregon, and Washington (blue areas) received more precipitation than usual. Almost the entire rest of the country, barring New England, had below-normal rainfall. The most intense rainfall deficits (orange and red areas) include the area stretching from Texas up through the central Plains and Upper Midwest, as well as the Gulf Coast, most of Florida, and along the southern Atlantic coast. In the Southwest, the rainfall deficit added to the stress of several years of below-average rainfall. Most of Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, and central Oklahoma have received less than 25 percent of their normal rainfall for the period. The current La Niña is expected to persist for the next several months. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite was launched in November 1997. It measures rainfall over the global tropics using both passive and active sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Heavy Rains in Hawaii
Title Heavy Rains in Hawaii
Description In March 2006, Hawaii suffered heavy rains, flooding, and severe weather. A series of storms (upper-level low pressure centers) north and west of the islands drew warm moist air up from the tropics. When this flow of moist tropical air passed over Hawaii, the island chain's steep mountains acted as a wringer, releasing torrential rain from the air. As a result, the islands received record-setting rain throughout March 2006. On Kauai, Mount Waialeale (one of the wettest places on earth) set an all-time monthly record of 93.71 inches of rain. Part of the reason for all of the rainfall is the current La Niña. During La Niña conditions, Hawaii is expected to have above-average rainfall totals. The image above is based on data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). The TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center monitors rainfall over the global Tropics. The above image shows MPA rainfall anomalies between February 19 and April 1, 2006, for the northern East Pacific. Hawaii and the surrounding area had higher-than-average rainfall (green areas) in general, and the western half of the state received much more rain than normal (blue areas). The large-format image also shows a coherent pattern of above-average rainfall anomalies that extend to the West Coast (green streaks) and culminate in well-above-average rainfall (blue areas) over northern California. These trends are consistent with a La Niña pattern. The TRMM satellite was launched in November 1997 to measure rainfall over the tropics. It is equipped with both passive and active sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Hurricane Ernesto
Title Hurricane Ernesto
Description On Sunday August 27, 2006, Ernesto became the first storm of the Atlantic season to reach hurricane intensity. Ernesto did not maintain hurricane intensity for long, however, and was soon downgraded back to a tropical storm after grazing the southwestern tip of Hispaniola. Ernesto formed from an easterly wave—a low-pressure ripple in the atmosphere—that moved west across the Atlantic and into the Caribbean. After passing through the Windward Islands, the wave developed into the fifth tropical depression of the year on August 24. This series of images shows the development of the storm. The earliest image (bottom image in the trilogy) shows the storm in the southeastern Caribbean soon after it had formed. The image was taken 10:41 p.m. local time on August 24, 2006, (02:41 UTC on August 25) by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. Rain rates in the center swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while those in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. Scattered areas of light (blue) to moderate (green) rain and little evidence of classic hurricane organization reveal that the system was still in its early stages of development. The storm developed into Tropical Storm Ernesto the next day, when the middle image in the series was taken. As the system tracked west-northwest, it encountered southwesterly winds at higher altitudes, a pattern that tends to shear off the tops of developing storms and to prevent them from gathering strength. These winds kept the storm from gaining much strength despite warm sea surface temperatures. Warm water is the engine that drives tropical storms. When this image was taken at 7:34 a.m. local time (11:34 UTC) on August 26, Ernesto was passing south of the Dominican Republic. At that time, intense areas of rain were present within the storm (red areas). However, Ernesto still did not have a visible eye, nor a particularly well-developed circulation, the spiraling band of clouds typically associated with tropical storms and hurricanes. At that time, the National Hurricane Center [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ ], reported that Ernesto's maximum sustained winds were 74 kilometers per hour (46 miles per hour). Throughout the day, Ernesto continued to encounter high-altitude winds from the southwest that pushed the storm's top eastward, creating the elongated oval shape seen in the top image. This image was obtained at 10:24 p.m. local time on August 26 (02:24 UTC, August 27), when Ernesto was approaching Haiti. Although the center of the storm did not fall within the center of the TRMM instruments' fields of view, the rainfall pattern confirms that high-altitude winds were still confining the heaviest rains to the eastern side of the storm. At the time of this image, Ernesto's sustained winds were up slightly to 92 km/hr (58 mph). During the night of August 26, the shear across Ernesto finally eased off, and the storm responded by intensifying into a Category 1 hurricane. However, by this time, Ernesto was close to southwestern Haiti. Ernesto crossed the southwestern tip of Haiti on August 27, which caused it to weaken back to a tropical storm. Ernesto then continued northwest before making landfall in southeastern Cuba several hours later. As of August 29, Ernesto remained a somewhat disorganized tropical storm system. The storm was expected to reorganize as it left Cuba, but it was unclear if it would have enough time to develop back to hurricane strength before making a projected landfall in south Florida. The TRMM satellite was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM provides valuable images and information on storm systems around the tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Hurricane Florence
Title Hurricane Florence
Description As the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season neared the typical peak of storm activity in mid-September, Hurricane Florence was making its way northward through the western Atlantic near Bermuda. Although Florence was the sixth named storm of the season, no major hurricanes had occurred as of mid-September. Before Florence, only Ernesto had managed to briefly reach minimal hurricane intensity. Florence formed from a tropical depression (low pressure area) on September 3, and it became the second hurricane of the season as it approached Bermuda. It had not exceeded Category 1 intensity, [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] nor was it projected to become more powerful, as of September 12. The image above shows the hurricane not long after it had passed Bermuda. The image was taken at 7:05 p.m. local time (23:05 UTC) on September 11, 2006, by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. Rain rates in the center swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while those in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. The data shows rain bands circling a rather large eye, which contains an area of intense rain (dark red arc) in the northwest eyewall. The southeastern part of the eyewall, however, appears ragged. Most of the rain was ahead of the storm (the broad blue and green area indicating light to moderate rain, respectively). The TRMM satellite was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM provides valuable images and information on storm systems around the tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Hurricane Gordon
Title Hurricane Gordon
Description After a relatively mild start, the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season became more active with the arrival of the first major hurricane—Hurricane Gordon—in the Central Atlantic. The seventh named storm of the season formed on September 10, becoming a tropical storm the next day. With warm waters beneath the storm and calm upper-level wind patterns, Gordon was able to gather strength and become a Category 1 [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] hurricane on September 11. By early September 15, it had become a Category 3 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center, [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ ] making it the first major hurricane of the 2006 season. The previous two hurricanes, Ernesto [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13827 ] and Florence, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13865 ] never intensified beyond Category 1 strength. These images show Gordon at 2:00 p.m. local time (18:00 UTC) on September 13, 2006, as observed by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ], satellite. The top image shows rain rates (how fast the rain was coming down), with the heaviest rain in red and lighter rain in blue. Rain rates in the center swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while those in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. The rain rates show that Gordon had a well-defined, clear eye (dark spot in the center of the white, cloudy region) surrounded by a complete eyewall (innermost green ring) embedded within areas of intense rain (dark red areas). The banding patterns (the distinctive hurricane-shaped spirals) were pronounced, with tight curvature. These signs pointed to a strong, mature circulation pattern within the storm. The lower image provides a three-dimensional view of the storm as seen from TRMM's Precipitation Radar. From this perspective, too, Gordon shows signs of becoming an intense hurricane. A tall red tower in the northeastern eyewall points to rapidly rising air (deep convection). In the tower, water vapor is condensing into cloud droplets and releasing heat into the storm. The heating, known as latent heating, and subsequent rising of air lower a storm's central air pressure, which drives the storm's circulation. By causing the pressure to drop, latent heating and convection cause the storm to intensify. As a result, tall towers are a good indicator that a storm is about to intensify. At the time of this image, Gordon's maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 147 kilometers per hour (92 miles per hour) by the National Hurricane Center, making it a strong Category 1 storm. Shortly after this TRMM overpass, Gordon was upgraded to a strong Category 2 storm. Gordon reached Category 3 intensity later that same evening. The hurricane, however, was nowhere near land, and as of September 15, it was projected to weaken over cooler waters as it veered northeast in the general direction of the Azores Islands. The TRMM satellite was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM provides valuable images and information on storm systems around the tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Hurricane Gordon
Title Hurricane Gordon
Description After a relatively mild start, the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season became more active with the arrival of the first major hurricane—Hurricane Gordon—in the Central Atlantic. The seventh named storm of the season formed on September 10, becoming a tropical storm the next day. With warm waters beneath the storm and calm upper-level wind patterns, Gordon was able to gather strength and become a Category 1 [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] hurricane on September 11. By early September 15, it had become a Category 3 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center, [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ ] making it the first major hurricane of the 2006 season. The previous two hurricanes, Ernesto [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13827 ] and Florence, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13865 ] never intensified beyond Category 1 strength. These images show Gordon at 2:00 p.m. local time (18:00 UTC) on September 13, 2006, as observed by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ], satellite. The top image shows rain rates (how fast the rain was coming down), with the heaviest rain in red and lighter rain in blue. Rain rates in the center swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while those in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. The rain rates show that Gordon had a well-defined, clear eye (dark spot in the center of the white, cloudy region) surrounded by a complete eyewall (innermost green ring) embedded within areas of intense rain (dark red areas). The banding patterns (the distinctive hurricane-shaped spirals) were pronounced, with tight curvature. These signs pointed to a strong, mature circulation pattern within the storm. The lower image provides a three-dimensional view of the storm as seen from TRMM's Precipitation Radar. From this perspective, too, Gordon shows signs of becoming an intense hurricane. A tall red tower in the northeastern eyewall points to rapidly rising air (deep convection). In the tower, water vapor is condensing into cloud droplets and releasing heat into the storm. The heating, known as latent heating, and subsequent rising of air lower a storm's central air pressure, which drives the storm's circulation. By causing the pressure to drop, latent heating and convection cause the storm to intensify. As a result, tall towers are a good indicator that a storm is about to intensify. At the time of this image, Gordon's maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 147 kilometers per hour (92 miles per hour) by the National Hurricane Center, making it a strong Category 1 storm. Shortly after this TRMM overpass, Gordon was upgraded to a strong Category 2 storm. Gordon reached Category 3 intensity later that same evening. The hurricane, however, was nowhere near land, and as of September 15, it was projected to weaken over cooler waters as it veered northeast in the general direction of the Azores Islands. The TRMM satellite was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM provides valuable images and information on storm systems around the tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
El Nino Rainfall Patterns ov …
Title El Nino Rainfall Patterns over the United States
Description An anomalous warming of the central and eastern Pacific along the equator is part of a well-known climate event called El Niño. An El Niño began in the spring of 2006 and reached its peak in November and December. El Niño has far reaching effects. The anomalous warming of sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific affects general atmospheric circulation patterns, which impacts both temperature and precipitation patterns well into middle latitudes. Deviations in the rainfall patterns across the United States due to El Niño are well-established based on past events. The northern Gulf Coast experiences above-average rainfall, as do California and the Southwest due to a stronger-than-average subtropical jet stream. The Ohio Valley and the Northwest tend to see below-normal rainfall. These deviations from the normal rainfall pattern are illustrated in this image, made from the near-real-time, Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA), which is produced at NASA&#8217s Goddard Space Flight Center, based in part on data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]) satellite. MPA rainfall anomalies across the United States are shown here for December 25, 2006, through January 25, 2007. The anomalies are obtained by subtracting the average rainfall from the recent values. The average rainfall measurements are based on data collected since TRMM's launch in November 1997. Several of the notable features associated with El Niño are evident. The northern Gulf Coast west of Florida is wetter than average as is southern California. The Four Corners region in the Southwest is also very moist, which is typical for El Niño. Drier-than-normal conditions are evident over the Ohio Valley. There are some exceptions to the expected El Niño rainfall patterns, however. Montana, for example, is usually drier than average during El Niño but appears relatively moist, and Florida is usually wetter than average but shows below-normal rainfall for the period. Also, the dry anomaly in the Northwest is concentrated over northern California instead of spreading over Washington and Oregon as might be expected. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Super Typhoon Durian
Title Super Typhoon Durian
Description In what turned out to be a deadly combination, torrential rains brought on by the passage of Super Typhoon Durian and volcanic ash leftover from recent eruptions on the Mayon Volcano resulted in massive mudslides in the Central Philippines. As of December 4, 2006, at least 425 people had been confirmed dead, and nearly 600 more were still missing. Super Typhoon Durian (known as "Reming" in the Philippines) made landfall in the Central Philippines on November 30, 2006, with reported wind gusts of up to 140 mph. The center crossed over Albay province in the southern part of the main northern Philippines island, Luzon. Though winds were strong, it was the accompanying heavy rainfall that turned out to be a disaster for the region. Rainfall totals for November 24 through December 1, 2006, are shown in this image. Rainfall totals exceeding 200 millimeters (about 8 inches) are shown in red and extend from the western Philippine Sea across southern sections of Luzon, Catanduanes Island (northwesternmost island shown), and northern Samar. Locally up to 460 mm (about 18 inches) of rain were reported in Albay province. Some of the heaviest rain fell on the 2,462-meter-high Mayon volcano, the Philippines' most active volcano. An eruption earlier in the year left the steep slopes covered with a large amount of volcanic ash. It was this combination of ash and the torrential rains from Durian that led to the massive mudslides that buried entire villages in the region. The rainfall totals shown here are from the near-real-time, Multi- satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA), which is based in part on measurements from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite (TRMM [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]). TRMM was placed into low-Earth orbit in November 1997 to measure rainfall over the global Tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC)
Super Typhoon Durian
Title Super Typhoon Durian
Description The northern Philippines island Luzon suffered yet another direct hit from a super typhoon this season when Super Typhoon Durian (known as "Reming" in the Philippines) made landfall on the southeastern part of the island on November 30, 2006. The Philippine weather service recorded sustained winds of 190 kilometers per hour (118 mph) with gusts to 225 kph (140 mph) when the storm came ashore. Luzon was hit hard in 2006. Super Typhoon Xangsane also hit the southern part of the island on September 27. Super Typhoon Cimaron struck northern Luzon on the evening of October 29, and Typhoon Chebi hit northern Luzon on November 11. The 24th tropical depression of the Western Pacific season formed early on the morning of November 26 (local time) south of Guam and became a minimal tropical storm, named Durian, later that same day. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]) satellite captured this image of Durian on November 29, by which time the storm had reached super typhoon status, with winds of 240 kilometers per hour (150 miles per hour). The image was taken at 6:50 a.m. local time (22:50 UTC) as Durian was bearing down on Catanduanes Island in the central Philippines. The image shows rain intensity in different parts of the storm system. Rain rates in the center of the swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while those in the outer portion are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. Although the center of the storm does not fall within the swath observed by the Precipitation Radar in this image, it is clear from the Microwave Imager portion of the image that Durian had a well-defined eye surrounded by a symmetric eyewall (green ring). The extreme cyclonic winds in intense storms tend to smear out eyewall features. Soon after this image was taken Durians northern eyewall passed over Virac on the southern tip of Catanduanes Island. The center then made landfall along the southeastern portion of Luzon in the province of Albay before continuing westward through the central Philippines. The TRMM satellite was placed into its low-earth orbit in November 1997. Its primary mission is to measure rainfall from space, however, it has also served as a valuable platform for monitoring tropical cyclones, especially over remote parts of the open ocean. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Thunderstorms in Texas
Title Thunderstorms in Texas
Description Torrential rainfall in southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana on June 19, 2006, caused extensive flooding. The rains caused waist-high flooding in the Houston area, according to news reports. A surface and upper-level trough (a region of low atmospheric pressure) along the Texas and Louisiana coast generated heavy showers and thunderstorms. The image above shows rainfall totals based in part on measurements taken by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite from June 13-19, 2006. The highest amounts shown on the image are more than 228 millimeters (about 9 inches). The heaviest rains occurred over north-central Texas and on the Gulf Coast along the Texas-Louisiana state line. The animations provided above show the day-by-day accumulation of rain. TRMM was launched in November 1997. The rainfall analysis above is from TRMM-calibrated precipitation estimates called Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA). The MPA estimates were developed by the precipitation research team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Images and caption produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Thunderstorms in Texas
Title Thunderstorms in Texas
Description Torrential rainfall in southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana on June 19, 2006, caused extensive flooding. The rains caused waist-high flooding in the Houston area, according to news reports. A surface and upper-level trough (a region of low atmospheric pressure) along the Texas and Louisiana coast generated heavy showers and thunderstorms. The image above shows rainfall totals based in part on measurements taken by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite from June 13-19, 2006. The highest amounts shown on the image are more than 228 millimeters (about 9 inches). The heaviest rains occurred over north-central Texas and on the Gulf Coast along the Texas-Louisiana state line. The animations provided above show the day-by-day accumulation of rain. TRMM was launched in November 1997. The rainfall analysis above is from TRMM-calibrated precipitation estimates called Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA). The MPA estimates were developed by the precipitation research team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Images and caption produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Thunderstorms in Texas
Title Thunderstorms in Texas
Description Torrential rainfall in southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana on June 19, 2006, caused extensive flooding. The rains caused waist-high flooding in the Houston area, according to news reports. A surface and upper-level trough (a region of low atmospheric pressure) along the Texas and Louisiana coast generated heavy showers and thunderstorms. The image above shows rainfall totals based in part on measurements taken by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite from June 13-19, 2006. The highest amounts shown on the image are more than 228 millimeters (about 9 inches). The heaviest rains occurred over north-central Texas and on the Gulf Coast along the Texas-Louisiana state line. The animations provided above show the day-by-day accumulation of rain. TRMM was launched in November 1997. The rainfall analysis above is from TRMM-calibrated precipitation estimates called Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA). The MPA estimates were developed by the precipitation research team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Images and caption produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Tropical Cyclone Daryl
Title Tropical Cyclone Daryl
Description This pair of images shows the birth of Cyclone Daryl off the northwest coast of Western Australia on January 19, 2006. In the fifteen hours that elapsed between the time the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]) satellite captured the top image at 10:08 a.m. Australian Western Standard Time and when it captured the bottom image at 1:00 a.m., Daryl went from a weak, newly named storm to a mature storm roughly equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The storm's center remained just offshore as it moved southwest along the coast, sparing coastal communities a direct hit. Both images show rain rates in the storm. In the top image, TRMM reveals that despite having a sizeable band of intense rain (dark red segment) centered in a broad area of light (blue areas) to occasionally moderate (green areas) rain, Daryl showed very little evidence of circulation. This lack of circulation indicated that Daryl was in the early stages of development. At the time of this image, Daryl was rated as a Category 1 cyclone by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's Tropical Cyclone Warning Center, indicating peak wind gusts of less than 125 kilometers per hour (78 miles per hour)—equivalent to a tropical storm. The lower image was taken just 15 hours later at 17:00 UTC (1:00 a.m. Australian WST on January 20) and shows a very different-looking storm. Although Daryl did not have a well-defined closed eye, the heavy rain had separated into arcing bands (green and darker red arcs), indicating that Daryl had a more mature circulation than it did earlier. Daryl became a Category 3 cyclone the following day. Catching Tropical Cyclone Daryl in the act of building may provide new and critical data for understanding the complexities of storm intensification. Becuase storms tend to form and intensify well away from land, scientists are still trying to understand how cyclones intensify. Armed with both passive and active sensors, including the first and only precipitation radar in space, TRMM has proven itself to be a valuable tool for examining tropical cyclones. These images show rain rates as measured by a number of different sensors on the TRMM satellite. Rain rates in the center swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while rain rates in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. Launched in November 1997 to measure rainfall over the global tropics, TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI, NASA/GSFC) and captioned by Steve Lang (SSAI, NASA/GSFC).
Tropical Cyclone Daryl
Title Tropical Cyclone Daryl
Description This pair of images shows the birth of Cyclone Daryl off the northwest coast of Western Australia on January 19, 2006. In the fifteen hours that elapsed between the time the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]) satellite captured the top image at 10:08 a.m. Australian Western Standard Time and when it captured the bottom image at 1:00 a.m., Daryl went from a weak, newly named storm to a mature storm roughly equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The storm's center remained just offshore as it moved southwest along the coast, sparing coastal communities a direct hit. Both images show rain rates in the storm. In the top image, TRMM reveals that despite having a sizeable band of intense rain (dark red segment) centered in a broad area of light (blue areas) to occasionally moderate (green areas) rain, Daryl showed very little evidence of circulation. This lack of circulation indicated that Daryl was in the early stages of development. At the time of this image, Daryl was rated as a Category 1 cyclone by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's Tropical Cyclone Warning Center, indicating peak wind gusts of less than 125 kilometers per hour (78 miles per hour)—equivalent to a tropical storm. The lower image was taken just 15 hours later at 17:00 UTC (1:00 a.m. Australian WST on January 20) and shows a very different-looking storm. Although Daryl did not have a well-defined closed eye, the heavy rain had separated into arcing bands (green and darker red arcs), indicating that Daryl had a more mature circulation than it did earlier. Daryl became a Category 3 cyclone the following day. Catching Tropical Cyclone Daryl in the act of building may provide new and critical data for understanding the complexities of storm intensification. Becuase storms tend to form and intensify well away from land, scientists are still trying to understand how cyclones intensify. Armed with both passive and active sensors, including the first and only precipitation radar in space, TRMM has proven itself to be a valuable tool for examining tropical cyclones. These images show rain rates as measured by a number of different sensors on the TRMM satellite. Rain rates in the center swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while rain rates in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. Launched in November 1997 to measure rainfall over the global tropics, TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI, NASA/GSFC) and captioned by Steve Lang (SSAI, NASA/GSFC).
Tropical Cyclone Daryl
Title Tropical Cyclone Daryl
Description This pair of images shows the birth of Cyclone Daryl off the northwest coast of Western Australia on January 19, 2006. In the fifteen hours that elapsed between the time the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]) satellite captured the top image at 10:08 a.m. Australian Western Standard Time and when it captured the bottom image at 1:00 a.m., Daryl went from a weak, newly named storm to a mature storm roughly equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The storm's center remained just offshore as it moved southwest along the coast, sparing coastal communities a direct hit. Both images show rain rates in the storm. In the top image, TRMM reveals that despite having a sizeable band of intense rain (dark red segment) centered in a broad area of light (blue areas) to occasionally moderate (green areas) rain, Daryl showed very little evidence of circulation. This lack of circulation indicated that Daryl was in the early stages of development. At the time of this image, Daryl was rated as a Category 1 cyclone by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's Tropical Cyclone Warning Center, indicating peak wind gusts of less than 125 kilometers per hour (78 miles per hour)—equivalent to a tropical storm. The lower image was taken just 15 hours later at 17:00 UTC (1:00 a.m. Australian WST on January 20) and shows a very different-looking storm. Although Daryl did not have a well-defined closed eye, the heavy rain had separated into arcing bands (green and darker red arcs), indicating that Daryl had a more mature circulation than it did earlier. Daryl became a Category 3 cyclone the following day. Catching Tropical Cyclone Daryl in the act of building may provide new and critical data for understanding the complexities of storm intensification. Becuase storms tend to form and intensify well away from land, scientists are still trying to understand how cyclones intensify. Armed with both passive and active sensors, including the first and only precipitation radar in space, TRMM has proven itself to be a valuable tool for examining tropical cyclones. These images show rain rates as measured by a number of different sensors on the TRMM satellite. Rain rates in the center swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while rain rates in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. Launched in November 1997 to measure rainfall over the global tropics, TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI, NASA/GSFC) and captioned by Steve Lang (SSAI, NASA/GSFC).
Tropical Cyclone Gonu
Title Tropical Cyclone Gonu
Description At one time, Cyclone Gonu was a powerful Category 5 storm packing sustained winds of 255 kilometers per hour (160 miles per hour), according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, [ https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc.php ] and on a course towards Oman. This made it the most powerful cyclone ever to threaten the Arabian Peninsula since record keeping began back in 1945. Tropical cyclones do on occasion form in the Arabian Sea, but they rarely exceed tropical storm intensity. In 2006, Tropical Storm Mukda was the only system to form in the region, and it remained well out to sea before dissipating. Gonu became a tropical storm in the morning (local time) of June 2, 2007, in the east-central Arabian Sea. After some initial fluctuations in direction, the storm settled on a northwesterly track and began to intensify. Gonu went from tropical storm intensity to a Category 2 Tropical Cyclone [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] on the night of June 3. Overnight, it developed into a Category 4 storm with winds estimated at 210 km/hr (132 mph). The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ], captured this image of Gonu as the storm was moving northwest over the central Arabian Sea. The image was taken at 6:23 a.m. local time (03:23 UTC) on June 4, 2007, when Gonu was a Category 4 storm. It shows the horizontal distribution of rain intensity looking down on the storm. The distribution of rain within the storm reveals the storm's structure, and in this case, Gonu displays all of the tell-tale signs of a potent storm. Not only did Gonu have a complete, well-formed, symmetrical eye surrounded by an intense eyewall (innermost red ring), this inner eyewall was surrounded by a concentric outer eyewall (outermost red and green ring). This double eyewall structure only occurs in very intense storms. Eventually the outer eyewall will contract and replace the inner eyewall, a process known as eyewall replacement. The image was made with data from several sensors on the TRMM satellite. Rain rates in the center of the swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while those in the outer portion are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. Several hours after this image was taken, Gonu reached Category 5 intensity, the very peak of possible storm strengths. The system remained in this high state through the day, then began weakening during the night of June 4 as it continued to approach the coast of Oman. The center remained just offshore of the northeast coast of Oman as a Category 1 storm before turning northward towards Iran, where it was expected to make landfall as a tropical storm, according to forecasts made on June 6, 2007. The TRMM satellite was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM provides valuable images and information on storm systems around the tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. NASA image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Tropical Storm Alberto
Title Tropical Storm Alberto
Description Alberto began as a tropical depression on the morning of June 10, 2006, having formed from an area of low air pressure over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. This depression moved generally northwestward through the Yucatan Channel between western Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula and into the south-central Gulf of Mexico. The system was rather poorly organized as a result of southwesterly wind shear. This shear pulled the weather system from the rounded shape of a typical tropical storm and gave Alberto an elongated center of circulation. Nonetheless, hurricane hunter aircraft and ships reported strong winds, and on that basis, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) classified the system as a tropical storm and gave it the name Alberto at 11:00 a.m. EDT on June 11. This visualization shows data collected by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite (TRMM) at 19:42 UTC (3:42 p.m. EDT) on June 11, 2006, soon after Alberto had become a tropical storm. It maps rain intensity as viewed by the TRMM satellite. Rain rates in the center swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, and rain rates in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. TRMM confirms that Alberto was poorly organized. The center of circulation is well to the southwest of the heavier rain areas (darker red and green areas). In fact, there is essentially no rain in the immediate vicinity of the center. This highly asymmetric structure results from wind shear. At the time of this image, Alberto was a weak tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 kilometers per hour (45 miles per hour). After these images were taken, however, the wind shear pushing the storm off center decreased, allowing Alberto to become better organized. On June 12, Alberto had become a strong tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 110 km/hr (70 mph) according to the NHC, just below hurricane strength. The system was continuing to track to the northeast towards the coast of Florida, where a hurricane watch was in effect. TRMM was launched in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM has been providing valuable images and information on tropical weather systems using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Tropical Storm Debby
Title Tropical Storm Debby
Description Compared to last year's onslaught, the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season has so far been relatively uneventful, with no storm having reached hurricane strength as of mid-August. However, late August is when the Atlantic hurricane season becomes most active. As of August 24, 2006, Tropical Storm Debby was making its way through the central Atlantic and posed no immediate threat to any land areas. Known as a Cape Verde storm because of its formation in the far eastern Atlantic near the Cape Verde Islands, Debby began as a tropical depression on August 21, 2006, from an African easterly wave that moved off the coast of West Africa. This image was taken by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on August 24, 2006, at 02:07 a.m. UTC (August 23 at 10:07 p.m. EDT) as Debby was moving northwest through the central Atlantic. TRMM reveals that Debby was a small, compact storm, however, a band of intense rain (dark red area) is apparent north of the center and indicates an area of active convection (uprising air). The TRMM satellite was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM has been providing valuable images and information on storm systems around the tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Flooding in the Southern Phi …
Title Flooding in the Southern Philippines
Description Heavy rains in February 2006 triggered a large mudslide in southern Leyte in the central Philippines, burying the entire village of Guinsaugon. As of February 17, 2006, there were 23 confirmed fatalities, but hundreds more were feared dead as 1,500 people were reported missing. This image shows rainfall data from the area collected by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. The TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center monitors rainfall over the global tropics. The image above shows MPA rainfall totals for February 4-17, 2006, for the Philippine Islands. The highest amounts recorded by the MPA for this period are about 30 inches (darkest red area) and are located over the northern tip of Mindanao. However, rainfall totals over southern Leyte do approach 500 millimeters (20 inches, small orange area north of the larger red area), with totals of 250 millimeters (green areas) over the surrounding area. The northern tip of Mindanao is separated from southern Leyte by the narrow Surigao Strait. The excessive rains may be linked to the ongoing La Niña. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17180 ] In December, cooler ocean waters began to emerge in the central equatorial Pacific signaling the onset of a La Niña. La Niña is associated with above-normal sea surface temperatures in the Western Pacific and stronger trade winds. This pattern can significantly enhance rainfall across the Western Pacific region. The TRMM satellite was launched into service in November 1997. It measures rainfall over the global Tropics using both passive and active sensors, including the first and only precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Tropical Storm Ioke
Title Tropical Storm Ioke
Description Hurricane Ioke started as all tropical cyclones do, as a depression—an area of low atmospheric pressure. After forming on August 19, 2006, the depression quickly developed into a tropical storm, the threshold for earning a name. Ioke is the Hawaiian word for the name "Joyce." Storms and hurricanes in the central Pacific are unusual, but they occur often enough for there to be a naming convention, applied by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu. The last named central Pacific storm was Huko in 2002. Ioke rose all the way to hurricane strength in less than 24 hours. This image of Hurricane Ioke shows the powerful Category 4 hurricane [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] as it was passing south of the Hawaiian Islands. The image was taken by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] satellite at 20:45 UTC (9:45 a.m. HST) on August 21, 2006, and it shows the horizontal pattern of rain intensity within Ioke. Rain rates in the center of the swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, and those in the outer swath come from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner. A well-defined eye (dark center) marks the center of Ioke. This eye is surrounded by an area of very intense rain on the western side, which is part of the eyewall (dark red arc). Rain bands spiral inwards towards the center (large blue arcs) and transition into an area of moderate rain (green area) as they approach the eyewall. These features are typical of a mature, intense hurricane. At the time of this image, Ioke was estimated to have sustained winds of 184 kilometers per hour (132 miles per hour) by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. The TRMM satellite was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM has been providing valuable images and information on storm systems around the tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Typhoon Shanshan
Title Typhoon Shanshan
Description Shanshan (known as Luis in the Philippines) began as a tropical depression (area of low air pressure) on September 10, 2006, in the central Philippine Sea. Within 36 hours, the depression organized into a Category 1 [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] typhoon and was given the name "Shanshan." According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, [ https://metoc.npmoc.navy.mil/jtwc.html ] Shanshan then tracked to the north, running roughly parallel to the China coast. By September 15, the storm had built to Category 4 strength, with winds of 220 kilometers per hour (138 miles per hour). Shanshan then moved off to the northeast towards southern Japan, weakening as it did so. Typhoon Shanshan made landfall on western Kyushu as a Category 1 storm. Heavy rains from the typhoon triggered mudslides, and the severe weather was responsible for 9 deaths and hundreds of injuries, said news reports. This image, taken by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, shows Typhoon Shanshan at 5:31 p.m. (08:31 UTC) on September 17, 2006, just as the storm was making landfall on Kyushu. Specifically, the image shows how much rain the storm was producing (measured in millimeters per hour) as it made landfall. An area of intense rain (darker red) is located near the center, over the western tip of Kyushu. A broad area of light (blue) to moderate (green) rain extends out ahead of the storm. The TRMM satellite was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM provides valuable images and information on storm systems around the tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
Typhoon Xangsane
Title Typhoon Xangsane
Description Typhoon Xangsane (known as Milenyo in the Philippines) brought strong winds and heavy rain to the central Philippines after making landfall on the island of Samar. The storm was reported to have had winds gusting to 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour) as it made landfall. Xangsane began as a tropical depression (area of low air pressure) on September 25, 2006, in the western Philippine Sea just 320 kilometers (200 miles) east of the central islands. As Xangsane headed west-northwest towards the central Philippines, the storm system at first grew only slowly, remaining a tropical storm at the start of the day on September 26. However, as it was nearing Samar, Xangsane began to intensify rapidly into a Category 2 [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] typhoon. This image of Typhoon Xangsane shows the storm system at 1:36 p.m. (21:36 UTC) on September 26, as observed by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. It shows Xangsane bearing down on northern Samar in the central Philippines. Xangsane had a complete eyewall (ring of clouds around the eye), with moderate to heavy rain (green ring with areas of red) surrounded by spiral rain bands. These features show the well-developed circulation typical of a mature tropical cyclone. At the time of these images, Xangsane was estimated to have had sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (75 mph), making it a minimal Category 1 typhoon. However, the storm was in the process of intensifying, and it became a Category 2 storm just hours later as it drew closer to Samar. The TRMM satellite was placed into service in November 1997. From its low-earth orbit, TRMM provides valuable images and information on storm systems around the tropics using a combination of passive microwave and active radar sensors, including the first precipitation radar in space. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
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