After making landfall in Bangladesh, NASA's satellite data showed Cyclone Mora still packing a punch with heavy rain and high cloud tops. The storm's internal structure was revealed using radar data, indicating intense rainfall bands over southeastern Bangladesh.
A Dartmouth-led study finds that the increase in extreme Northeast storms occurred as an abrupt shift in 1996, particularly in the spring and fall. The region experienced a 53% increase in extreme precipitation from 1996 to 2014, with tropical cyclones and nor'easters being key drivers.
Heavy rainfall was detected within a cluster of powerful storms east of Sri Lanka, with GPM's radar data showing storm tops reaching heights above 16 km. The analysis is important to understanding the economy of India and the amount and timing of monsoon rainfall.
A study by ETH Zurich researchers reveals that regional variability plays a key role in extreme precipitation, with increasing atmospheric moisture and weaker vertical wind velocities contributing to differences. The decomposition of projections highlights weaknesses in existing climate models and provides insights into where to focus ...
Tropical Cyclone Ella is intensifying and NASA observed heavy rainfall in the storm. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission detected rain falling at a rate of over 231 mm per hour in an intense feeder band on Ella's eastern side.
Tropical Cyclone Donna is generating heavy rainfall with precipitation rates reaching over 53 mm per hour. The storm's intense rain bands are expected to batter Vanuatu's northern islands with maximum sustained winds of up to 127 mph.
Researchers discovered surface runoff in megadunes of Badain Jaran Desert, recharging lake water. This finding explains the source of lake water in the desert region.
A study analyzing raindrop size distribution data over Tibet and southern China reveals significant microphysical differences in precipitation. The results indicate lower raindrop number concentrations for convective precipitation in Tibet, while larger raindrops show similar characteristics in both regions.
Tropical Storm Muifa is weakening due to vertical wind shear, as revealed by NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission. The storm has a low level center of circulation with very little precipitation, and is expected to dissipate in a day or two.
Researchers found that the plateau's surface sensible heating generates convective precipitation over the southern and eastern regions, while reducing in-situ surface sensible heating. The interaction between surface sensible heating and latent heating plays a leading role in this 'coupling system', influencing regional and global weat...
Tropical Depression 03W formed on April 24, 2017, with intense convective storms dropping heavy precipitation rates. The GPM satellite revealed tall storm towers with rainfall exceeding 8.5 inches per hour.
Tropical Storm Maarutha's intense rainbands were detected by the Global Precipitation Measurement mission, showing rainfall rates of over 134 mm per hour near its center. The satellite imagery provided valuable insights into the cyclone's powerful convective storms, which reached altitudes of over 10.9 miles.
The Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System (AMPS) shows promise in representing actual precipitation events, with ~28% of AWS snow height measurements reproduced. Significant correlation was found between AMPS and AWS coincident event sizes at five stations.
The RegCM4 model simulates China's climate well, reproducing present-day climatology and interannual variabilities. However, it exhibits biases in winter temperatures and precipitation, with underestimation of heavy rainfall events and overestimation of consecutive dry days.
Heavy rainfall in Mocoa, Colombia triggered devastating flooding and mudslides that killed over 250 people. NASA's GPM mission provided crucial data on precipitation from its orbit, helping estimate the amount of rain that fell near the affected area.
A recent study evaluates the regional applicability of seven drought indices in China, including PDSI, SPI, SPEI, and SWI. The results show that some indices perform well in certain regions, while others may not be suitable for specific areas due to empirical parameters or sensitivity to temperature anomalies.
Tropical cyclone Caleb formed on March 23 with heaviest precipitation near its western side, dropping rain at nearly 84 mm/h. The system will slow and weaken due to increasing wind shear and cooler sea surface temperatures over the next 3 days.
Heavy rainfall in Peru led to extensive flooding, landslides, and loss of life. NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission provided data on precipitation rates and totals, revealing storms dropping heavy rain at rates of over 137 mm per hour.
GPM detected intense rainfall in the remnant low pressure area of ex-Tropical Cyclone 11S, with rain rates reaching over 8 inches in some areas. The satellite's radar data showed storm tops reaching heights above 13 km, indicating a strong and dynamic system.
A USGS study reveals that changes in temperature and precipitation patterns may cause desert surfaces to become lighter, altering energy exchange between the planet and its atmosphere. This could lead to increased albedo, slowing the earth's warming rate, but also resulting in soil erosion and decreased fertility.
Cyclone Enawo brought record-breaking rainfall to Madagascar, with the eastern side experiencing strong onshore flow due to its clockwise rotation. NASA's IMERG data analysis reveals the storm's extensive moisture flow from the Indian Ocean, posing a risk of flooding and landslides.
A new study published in Nature Geoscience shows that US grasslands are more than three times more sensitive to vapor pressure deficit, or atmospheric dryness, than they are to precipitation. This means that plants in US grasslands are more likely to be damaged by drought due to the high sensitivity of their stomata to dry air.
Record-breaking warm temperatures triggered early blooms in eastern US, leading to severe thunderstorms and deadly tornadoes. The GPM satellite provided critical insights into the intense downpours and storm top heights of over 32,800 feet.
NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission has estimated significant rainfall from the Pineapple Express in southwestern Oregon and northern California. The storms brought heavy rains, with parts of Arizona receiving moderate to heavy precipitation as well.
Researchers warn that climate change will continue to shrink the Colorado River's flows, reducing water supplies for seven US Western states and Mexico. With temperatures projected to rise and precipitation uncertainty, future drought periods are likely, posing significant challenges for water managers.
A new study predicts that climate change will convert much of temperate grasslands and deserts to subtropical vegetation, leading to changes in precipitation and soil moisture. This shift could have significant impacts on ecological services and human populations, particularly for agriculture and ecosystems.
Scientists modelled global soil selenium concentrations using data mining techniques and found dominant role of climate-soil interactions. Climate change scenarios predict selenium levels to increase in some regions but decrease overall, with up to 66% of croplands expected to lose selenium by the end of the century.
NASA used its Terra satellite to track the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Dineo, which generated heavy rainfall in southern Mozambique. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission captured detailed images of the storm's intense rain bands, revealing precipitation rates over 86 mm per hour.
Tropical Cyclone Dineo is centered just off the coast of Mozambique, with maximum sustained winds near 80.5 mph. The storm is expected to make landfall in southern Mozambique before weakening, according to NASA's satellite observations.
A recent study published in Journal of Climate reveals a detectable anthropogenic shift toward heavy precipitation over eastern China. The research suggests that greenhouse gas forcing is the primary driver of this change, with aerosol forcing offsetting some effects.
Researchers found that responses to climate variations can be detected in deep groundwater aquifers within a year, suggesting an intermediate connection between precipitation and groundwater levels. Pumping of aquifers may drive this rapid response, controlled by crop water demand and agricultural industry activities.
Tropical Cyclone Carlos formed north of La Reunion Island in February 2017, bringing heavy rain and towering storms to the area. NASA's GPM satellite collected data on the storm's structure and precipitation rate, showing intense feeder bands with rainfall rates over 100 mm per hour.
Researchers from IUPUI reconstructed 2,100 years of temperature and precipitation data, pointing to climate change as a primary cause of the disappearance of the Mississippians. The study found that drought conditions due to changed atmospheric circulation undermined agricultural production, leading to the destabilization of sociopolit...
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have discovered a 500-year cycle of flooding in central China, which can be used to predict broad precipitation patterns in the future. The findings provide insight into climate change over time and improve understanding of monsoon regions.
New research predicts a 11.3-30% intensification of rainfall from extreme precipitation events in Australia with a 2°C rise in global temperatures. This will occur despite some areas becoming increasingly drought-prone, highlighting the need for infrastructure adaptation to extreme rainfall events.
NASA used its Global Precipitation Measurement mission to analyze heavy rainfall in southern Thailand, which resulted in record-breaking totals. The analysis showed extreme rainfall of over 700 mm over the Gulf of Thailand and greater than 500 mm on land., Rainfall has increased significantly over Thailand during this La Nina year.
NASA's TRMM-based Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis reveals higher-than-average precipitation in California due to the Pineapple Express, causing widespread flooding and mudslides. The atmospheric river event has brought much-needed relief but also poses significant challenges.
Groundwater exploitation causes drying in deep soil layers but wetting in upper layers, leading to unsustainable terrestrial water storage. The atmosphere responds with cooling over certain regions and increased precipitation due to evapotranspiration from groundwater irrigation.
A new study predicts that California will experience three more extreme precipitation events per year by 2100 as the Earth's climate warms. The researchers developed a technique to identify large-scale patterns in atmospheric data, significantly reducing uncertainty in extreme storm predictions.
Severe thunderstorms spawned tornadoes and generated flooding rainfall over the Southeast, with up to a foot of rain falling in five days. At least 13 deaths were blamed on the violent weather, according to NASA's Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) program.
Tropical Cyclone Yvette formed in the Indian Ocean with intense thunderstorms and heavy rainfall rates of over 127 mm per hour. The GPM satellite revealed the 3D structure of precipitation in storms near the center of circulation, with some storm tops reaching altitudes above 17 km.
Tropical Cyclone Vardah produced heavy rainfall in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, with estimated totals ranging from 300-500 mm. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission detected intense storms with rainfall rates exceeding 101 mm/h, indicating a lifetime of heavy precipitation.
NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission provided detailed images of Tropical Cyclone Vardah's cloud cover and heavy rainfall rates before it made landfall. The storm weakened to a remnant low pressure area over southern India, bringing heavy rainfall warnings for affected regions.
Feldspar's unique surface defects enable ice crystals to grow, a discovery that sheds light on precipitation formation in clouds. The research found that microscopic edges and cracks on feldspar crystallites serve as active sites for ice nucleation.
NASA analyzed Hawaii's heavy snowfall using GPM satellite data, finding precipitation rates exceeding 9.3 inches per hour in intense storms. The average freezing level was determined to be around 14,127 feet, with slopes reaching as low as 12,795 feet.
A new study finds that extreme precipitation events could increase across the US due to climate change. The research suggests that summertime storms producing extreme downpours may increase by as much as 400 percent, leading to more frequent and intense flash floods.
A study of over 5,000 Wisconsin lakes reveals nearly a quarter have become murkier in the past two decades. However, limiting agricultural land around waterways can improve water clarity and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change.
The GPM core satellite gathered data on severe storms that impacted the southeastern US, resulting in at least seven fatalities and significant damage. The storms, which included tornadoes, hail, and heavy downpours, affected several states, including Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee.
Heavy rainfall over Hispaniola led to widespread flooding in the northern Dominican Republic, with rainfall totals exceeding 230 mm. NASA's Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) data revealed the extent of the flooding, which was caused by slow-moving frontal systems and a tropical wave.
Tropical cyclones have formed frequently in the Western Pacific since July 2016, with 36 named storms emerging in under five months. NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement mission observed Tropical Depression Ma-on forming on November 10, 2016, with heavy showers and strong convective storms.
A recent study used a convective-permitting ensemble forecast system to evaluate the extreme rainfall event on July 21, 2012, in Beijing. The results showed that some members of the ensemble forecasting system captured the extreme prediction reasonably well, including the timing and location of extreme precipitation.
A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters attributes the 2015 West Coast record-low snowpack to unusually high temperatures, not low precipitation. The researchers used a crowd-sourced supercomputer to analyze data and found that greenhouse gases contributed strongly to the risk of snow droughts in Oregon and Washington.
Researchers found that extreme heat during pupal life stages is detrimental to over half of UK species, while precipitation can be detrimental to up to a quarter. However, some life stages may benefit from climatic extremes, with warm summers causing positive population changes in over one-third of the UK species.
Hurricane Seymour became a major hurricane on Oct. 25, with heavy rainfall and a 3-D image of its structure provided by the Global Precipitation Measurement mission. The storm is moving toward the west-northwest at 15 mph, with expected weakening and rapid decline in forward speed.
The Global Precipitation Measurement mission captured heavy rainfall rates within Hurricane Nicole's eye, with strong storms dropping rain at a rate of over 113 mm per hour. The satellite also analyzed the storm's top heights, finding powerful storms reaching only about 12 km in height.
Hurricane Matthew develops concentric eyewalls, a common feature in intense hurricanes, according to NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission. This indicates the storm is undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle, leading to weakening winds and changes in its track.
Typhoon Chaba intensified into a super typhoon, with extremely heavy precipitation and towering storm tops. NASA satellites used GPM data to track its movement and formation, which was influenced by warm sea surface temperatures and low vertical wind shear.
Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Matthew has been detected by NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission, with rates reaching over 6.4 inches per hour in some areas. The storm is expected to cause devastating torrential rainfall as it moves slowly over Haiti.
Post-Tropical Cyclone Hermine was still producing light to moderate showers with maximum sustained winds of about 58 mph as it rotated in the Atlantic Ocean. NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission detected heavy rainfall rates exceeding 1.1 inches per hour in various areas of the storm.
Tropical Storm Hermine strengthened and organized in the Gulf of Mexico, with intense storms detected by NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission. Rainfall rates reached over 9.9 inches per hour in powerful storms southwest of the storm's center.