Cyclone Giovanna has reached Category One status with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, forecast to make landfall in east-central Madagascar by February 13. Residents should prepare for heavy rainfall, rough surf conditions and Cyclone-force winds.
NASA's Terra satellite captures visible image of Cyclone Giovanna on February 10, revealing high thunderstorms around its center. Forecasters predict landfall in east-central Madagascar with heavy flooding, rough surf conditions, and strong winds.
Cyclone Jasmine has maintained Category One hurricane status with maximum sustained winds near 75 knots (86 mph), and its eye is now about 60 nautical miles in diameter. The storm is moving southeast at 8 knots (9 mph) through an area of stable air, weakening the warm tropical cyclone.
Researchers found El Niño's warm sea surface temperatures and the North Atlantic Oscillation's fluctuation contributed to extreme winter storms in the US. The study used a computer model to simulate the atmosphere and isolated the role of sea surface temperatures in driving snowstorms.
Tropical Storm 12S forms in Southern Indian Ocean, posing a threat to Madagascar with strong winds and heavy rainfall. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects landfall in east central Madagascar on February 13, as the storm strengthens due to warm sea surface temperatures.
Cyclone Jasmine was classified as a powerful category 4 cyclone with wind speeds of 132 mph, but was weakening due to cooler waters and drier air. A 3D image created from TRMM data revealed the eye's funnel-shaped surface and intense thunderstorms dropping rain at over 2 inches/hr.
Tropical Cyclone Jasmine has a 20nautical mile-wide eye visible in NASA imagery passing between Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Forecasters predict peak wind speed reached and weakening over the week.
Low pressure centers have drenched northeastern Australia, causing severe flooding and displacing thousands of people. The TRMM satellite measured extreme rainfall amounts, with totals over 520 mm (~20.5 inches) reported in the Gulf of Carpentaria region.
Tropical Storm Cyril has strengthened since February 6, maintaining a compact shape with maximum sustained winds near 45 knots. The storm is moving southeast at 28 knots, forecast to dissipate in two days due to cooler sea surface temperatures.
Cyclone Jasmine has developed a new eye with strongest thunderstorms near the center, causing heavy rainfall in New Caledonia and Vanuatu. The cyclone's maximum sustained winds reached 115 mph near New Caledonia, prompting warnings for the region.
A small tropical storm, Tropical Storm 11P, has formed in the South Pacific Ocean and is approaching the main island of Tonga. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 35 knots and is moving quickly to the east-southeast at 21 knots.
A low-pressure area in the Gulf called System 90L is being watched for possible development into a subtropical depression, although chances are now considered slim. The system is expected to bring widespread heavy rainfall and gusty winds to northern Cuba, the Florida Keys, and south Florida.
Cyclone Jasmine is strengthening as it approaches Vanuatu and New Caledonia, with forecasters predicting hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall. The storm's current track takes it between the two island nations, with its center expected to pass nearby on February 8.
Astronomers use gravitational lensing to study a vigorously forming galaxy, revealing regions of intense star formation. The team aims to analyze these star-forming regions through spectroscopy to understand their formation mechanisms.
The CERES instrument has begun scanning Earth, providing a long-term record of the energy balance and helping scientists understand climate change. The satellite's data will aid in monitoring minute changes in the Earth's energy budget, which is critical for understanding how human activities impact the planet.
Tropical Depression Iggy is being battered by wind shear, causing its strongest thunderstorms to be pushed away from the center. This leads to the storm's collapse, as convection must be stacked like a haystack to maintain the cyclone's structure.
NASA's GCPEx mission aims to improve snow detection from space to better understand snow dynamics and its impact on climate cycles. The team faces challenges in distinguishing between rain and snow due to the variety of snowflake shapes and sizes.
Cyclone Iggy still has a lot of strength due to cold cloud tops around its center, with temperatures below -63°F (-52.7°C). The storm is expected to weaken as it encounters strong wind shear and cooler waters, potentially leading to dissipation before landfall.
The study provides a glimpse into the mysterious neighborhood beyond our home, revealing an environment that doesn't match up with what we see in the solar system. IBEX's observations shed light on the formation of our solar system, the forces that shape it, and even the history of other stars in the Milky Way.
Dr. F. Michael Flasar, Dr. Anthony D. Del Genio and Dr. James Slavin recognized for their outstanding contributions to Earth and space sciences. Flasar's work on planetary atmospheres, including Titan's unique atmosphere, was highlighted as fundamental to understanding climate physics.
A new NASA study finds that Earth's energy budget remained out of balance despite unusually low solar activity between 2005 and 2010. The planet continued to absorb more energy than it returned to space, with carbon dioxide levels needing to be reduced to restore equilibrium.
Cyclone Funso's eye has filled with clouds, appearing ragged and 30 miles in diameter. The storm is expected to encounter stronger wind shear and cooler waters, leading to rapid weakening.
The Space Weather Laboratory will implement ensemble forecasting, producing up to 100 computerized forecasts simultaneously, improving the reliability of space weather alerts. This new capability is crucial for protecting astronauts and NASA spacecraft from potential harm during periods of increased solar activity.
Tropical Cyclone Iggy is expected to strengthen as it approaches the Australian coastline due to low wind shear and warm waters. The cyclone has already triggered warnings and watches along coastal areas, with a Blue Alert posted for communities in Western Australia.
Cyclone Funso is a 400-nautical-mile-wide storm over the Southern Indian Ocean, moving south-southeast from the Mozambique Channel. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of the storm on January 26, showing its depth and extent.
Tropical storm Iggy is growing in strength due to cloud top temperatures over -63F (-51.7C), indicating heavy rainfall and gusty winds along Western Australia's coast. Iggy is forecast to reach cyclone strength before moving south, with sea surface temperatures supporting further development.
A NASA expert has developed a method to detect detrimental changes in coral reefs using Landsat data, allowing for targeted conservation efforts. The 'temporal texture' approach analyzes reflectance information over time to identify areas of significant change, enabling scientists to pinpoint 'hotspots' for intervention.
Two NASA satellites, Aqua and TRMM, provide detailed storm information on Cyclone Funso. The cyclone has a 11-mile-wide eye and intense thunderstorms with cloud top temperatures below -63F.
The average global temperatures and illumination models suggest that roughly half of Vesta's surface is cold and dark enough for water ice to survive. The polar regions are thought to be favorable for water ice existence, but may be buried beneath a layer of dry regolith.
Tropical Storm 09S has developed in the southern Indian Ocean with strong thunderstorms and high cloud tops indicating uplift and heavy rainfall. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecasts it to move eastward toward Western Australia and potentially reach cyclone status over the next couple of days.
The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project has been renamed Suomi NPP in recognition of Verner Suomi's contributions to weather forecasting and climate change research. The new name reflects the mission's objective of advancing scientific knowledge of Earth and improving weather forecasts.
Tropical Cyclone Funso is intensifying in the Mozambique Channel, bringing heavy rainfall to Mozambique and Madagascar. The storm's strengthening clouds indicate a potential threat to residents still recovering from Tropical Depression Dando.
A comet was caught doing something never seen before: dying a scorching death as it flew too close to the sun. The comet's size and mass were estimated to be between 150-300 feet long, with its core evaporating in intense heat.
Tropical Storm Ethel is intensifying due to warm sea surface temperatures and low wind shear. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 35 knots (40 mph) on January 19.
According to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, 2011 was the ninth warmest year since 1880, with temperatures around the globe 0.92 degrees F warmer than the mid-20th century average.
The MMS cleanroom features state-of-the-art technology that filters air to remove contaminants with 30% less energy under low-load conditions. This design choice saves NASA tens of thousands of dollars in electric bills each year, paving the way for future facility innovations.
NASA's Aqua and TRMM satellites provided critical data on Tropical Storm Heidi's temperature, cloud heights and rainfall, enabling forecasters to predict its strengthening before landfall. The data revealed warm sea surface temperatures, intensifying rainfall, and high cloud heights, all indicative of a tropical storm gaining strength.
NASA's GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment will measure light rain and snow in Ontario from Jan. 17 to Feb. 29 using an airborne science laboratory, simulating the measurements to be taken by the planned GPM Core satellite in 2014.
A NASA study led by Drew Shindell suggests that implementing 14 key air pollution control measures could slow global warming, improve health outcomes, and increase agricultural production. The measures focus on reducing black carbon and methane emissions, which have significant impacts on climate change and human health.
The Hubble Space Telescope has created the sharpest visible-light image ever made of the nucleus of an external galaxy, the Andromeda galaxy. The blue stars surrounding the massive black hole are just 200 million years old and formed in a burst of star formation near the black hole.
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope found a large population of hot, bright blue stars in the center of the Andromeda galaxy. The stars, which are aging sun-like stars, have prematurely shed their outer layers to expose their extremely blue-hot cores.
Tropical Storm Heidi is forecast to make landfall today along Western Australia's Pilbara coast, bringing heavy rainfall and gusty winds. The storm's center is still north of the coast, with maximum sustained winds increasing to 63 mph.
Astronomers have solved a longstanding mystery on the type of star that caused a Type Ia supernova seen in a nearby galaxy. The Hubble Space Telescope detected faint white dwarf remnants, contradicting previous theories and suggesting two tightly orbiting stars may have collided to trigger the explosion.
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a distant Type Ia supernova, offering new opportunities to study dark energy. The discovery marks a significant step forward in understanding the mysterious force driving the universe's acceleration.
An international team of astronomers identified the moment when a black hole launched super-fast knots of gas into space using NASA's RXTE and NSF's VLBA radio telescope. The 'bullets' of ionized gas were thought to arise from a region outside the event horizon, where they were associated with changes signaling the start of the process.
The Fermi team has discovered hundreds of new energy sources in the high-energy sky, including active galaxies and pulsars. These discoveries will allow astronomers to compare the behavior of different sources across a wider span of gamma-ray energies for the first time.
Astronomers have pinpointed the most distant galaxy cluster in the early universe, comprising five tiny galaxies 600 million years after the Big Bang. The discovery confirms theoretical understanding of galaxy cluster formation and provides evidence for the hierarchical model of galaxy assembly.
The James Webb Space Telescope achieved significant milestones in 2011, including the completion of flight mirror testing and sunshield layer testing. The telescope's mirror segments were chilled to temperatures similar to those it will see in space, while the sunshield's deployment system was also tested.
NASA's WEBB Telescope has successfully completed cryogenic testing on its primary and secondary mirror segments, proving their ability to operate at extremely low temperatures. The testing, conducted at the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility, verified the mirrors' shape changes with temperature as expected, ensuring crisp focusing in space.
Tropical Storm Washi dumped heavy rains over Mindanao, triggering catastrophic flash floods and mudslides. Rainfall totals reached 200-400 mm along the east coast, equivalent to four months of rainfall in Washington, D.C.