The TRMM satellite estimated rainfall totals from August 18-25, 2014, revealing heavy flooding over the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. The Turks and Caicos Islands received over 350mm of rainfall, with some areas experiencing totals exceeding 275mm.
Tropical Storm Marie has weakened significantly due to the presence of cooler waters, with its strongest thunderstorms located in the southern quadrant. The storm's cloud tops have warmed, indicating a decrease in its strength.
Researchers studied a unique solar storm that interacted with Earth's magnetic field, revealing the presence of a dense solar filament material. The event showed a complex interplay between the CME and the magnetosphere, resulting in reduced magnetic effects.
TRMM analyzed Cristobal's movement northward along the US East Coast before it began to recurve away from the coast due to an approaching shortwave trough. The storm's sustained winds were reported at 70 knots (80.5 mph) with a partial eyewall observed in infrared imagery.
Karina, a former hurricane, was being drawn into Hurricane Marie's circulation in the Eastern Pacific. The National Hurricane Center reported that Karina's maximum sustained winds were near 30 mph on August 27, centered 1,185 miles west-southwest of Mexico.
NASA's HS3 mission investigates hurricane formation and intensity change using two unmanned Global Hawks, analyzing data on winds, temperature, pressure, and humidity. The mission aims to examine conditions that favor rapid intensification of tropical cyclones.
As of August 27, the Happy Camp Complex and July Fire Complexes have consumed over 60,000 acres of land in Northern California. The fire season has been exacerbated by hot and dry conditions, with multiple fires still spreading.
Astronomers have observed the earliest stages of massive galaxy construction, dubbed 'Sparky', which contains about twice as many stars as our Milky Way. The discovery was made possible through combined observations from NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes.
South Africa is experiencing its 'Cape Fire Season' with high veld fire danger ratings expected in the north-western interior and along the coast. Prolonged drought and warm, dry winds are fueling the fires, which also pose a risk to farmland and yearly food production.
Hurricane Marie, over 400 miles in diameter, brings rough surf to southern California's coastline. The storm is expected to weaken and become a post-tropical cyclone as it moves northwest.
Heavy rainfall and intense convective storms were detected by NASA's TRMM satellite in Hurricane Cristobal, with some storms reaching heights of over 9.3 miles and generating heavy rain. The storm is expected to become a powerful extra-tropical cyclone over the North Atlantic by Friday.
Hurricane Marie is expected to swallow Tropical Depression Karina, which is being drawn into the powerful circulation of the hurricane. Karina's maximum sustained winds have dropped to 30 mph (45 kph), weakening the depression as it moves southeast at 6 mph (9 kph).
Hurricane Marie has extended hundreds of miles from its eye, causing heavy rainfall and hurricane-force winds on nearby Socorro Island. The storm is also generating dangerous surf along the western coast of mainland Mexico.
Hurricane Cristobal caused deaths in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica due to strong winds and flooding. The satellites provided critical data on rainfall rates and wind speeds, tracking the storm's intensification and forecasted path.
Tropical Storm Karina weakened due to strong wind shear from Hurricane Marie, according to NASA satellite data. Karina's maximum sustained winds dropped to 40 mph on August 25 as it moved east-southeast around the western edge of Marie.
Fires in Western Australia have been burning for several days, consuming over 700,000 hectares of land. The complex of fires is out of control and unpredictable, with firefighters battling the blazes and protecting Cape Leveque Road.
Former Hurricane Lowell has degenerated into a remnant low pressure area, with its center located near latitude 24.7 north and longitude 127.4 west, about 1,110 miles from Baja California, Mexico.
The Happy Camp Complex and July Fire Complex in California have consumed over 22,670 acres, with the latter spanning 35,000 acres. Personnel are working to contain both complexes, with growth potential high due to challenging terrain.
A total of 133 active fires are currently burning in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The fire danger is moderate to high, with smoke potentially affecting some communities.
Hurricane Marie reached Category 4 status on August 24, with maximum sustained winds of near 135 mph and a minimum central pressure of 944 millibars. The storm continued to cause dangerous surf along the west coast of Mexico, with swells affecting the southwestern coast and potentially life-threatening conditions expected.
Tropical Storm Cristobal formed near the southeastern Bahamas on August 24, with NASA's Aqua satellite and NOAA's GOES-East satellites providing imagery of its birth and movement. The storm was expected to produce heavy rainfall over the Turks and Caicos Islands and parts of the southeastern and central Bahamas.
Tropical Storm Lowell poses a threat to Baja California with strong ocean swells and life-threatening surf conditions. The storm's size and weakening trend indicate it may become a post-tropical cyclone by the weekend.
Tropical Storm Karina intensified on August 22 with moderate rainfall and towering thunderstorms, dropping rain at a rate of near 25 mm/1 inch per hour. The storm is moving to the northeast near 3 mph (6 kph) and is expected to weaken in two days as it enters cooler waters and stable dry air.
Tropical Storm Marie rapidly formed off Mexico's coast, with powerful thunderstorms stretching towards the troposphere. The storm is expected to intensify rapidly due to warm sea surface temperatures, potentially becoming a hurricane by Monday, August 25. Rapid intensification is predicted due to favorable environmental conditions.
Hurricane Lowell strengthened into a Category One hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph after being observed by NASA satellites. The storms' cloud top temperatures exceeded -63F, indicating high thunderstorms with potential heavy rainfall.
Tropical Storm Karina appeared as a giant number nine due to strong thunderstorms spiraling into its center. The storm is now weakening due to moderate-to-strong vertical wind shear and dry air affecting its development of thunderstorms.
Researchers propose that high-energy particles from solar storms can create sparking, altering the moon's polar soil and potentially reactivating permanently shadowed regions. This 'breakdown weathering' process could change our understanding of planetary evolution in extremely cold regions.
Arctic sea ice covered about 2.31 million square miles on Aug. 19, falling short of the record low in 2012 but continuing a trend of decline over the past 30 years. NASA scientists are flying three airborne research campaigns to study climate-driven changes in the Arctic.
Tropical Storm Lowell has a well-organized band of thunderstorms on its south side, which is intensifying according to satellite imagery. The storm is expected to strengthen due to favorable conditions, including low shear and high moisture.
The Beaver Complex and July Complex wildfires in California have burned over 35,000 acres, with the Oregon Gulch Fire affecting 25,683 acres and the California fire burning 9,464 acres. The fires are currently 100% contained, but resources continue to be focused on hotspots.
Deforestation in Brazil has been linked to roads built across forests and agricultural expansion, particularly in states of Mato Grosso and Pará. The removal of forestland is converted to farms, ranches, or urban use, with the Brazilian national motorway BR 163 contributing to deforestation.
Tropical Storm Karina is being affected by the larger circulation of Tropical Storm Lowell. As a result, it is expected to drift eastward and then northeastward with an increase in forward speed around the south and east sides of Lowell.
Scientists detected unexpectedly high emissions of CCl4, a banned ozone-depleting compound, averaging 39 kilotons per year. This finding suggests unidentified industrial leakages or unknown sources contributing to the compound's persistence in the atmosphere.
Tropical Storm Lowell has strengthened in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, with powerful thunderstorms surrounding its center and cloud top temperatures near -63F. The storm is expected to continue strengthening due to moderate shear, high moisture, and warm water conditions.
NASA's TRMM satellite detected an isolated area of heavy rain remaining in Tropical Storm Karina, indicating a weakening uplift in the storm. The storm is forecast to turn westward and slow down soon, with two computer models predicting it will weaken to a tropical depression in about 72 hours.
The 12th tropical depression of the hurricane season has formed in the Eastern Pacific, with satellite imagery showing it is significantly larger than nearby Tropical Storm Karina. The depression spans approximately 800 nautical miles in diameter, dwarfing typical sizes of around 350 miles/600 km.
Researchers have identified an unusual midsize black hole called M82 X-1, measuring around 400 solar masses. The study analyzed six years of RXTE data to detect specific changes in brightness that helped determine the object's mass.
NASA satellite data shows Tropical Storm Karina's consistent strength and thunderstorm development since weakening from hurricane status. The storm's cloud pattern has remained relatively unchanged, with strong thunderstorms circling the center, especially on the northern edge.
Tropical Storm Julio's strong thunderstorms have weakened, with cloud tops warming and dropping lower in the atmosphere. The storm is expected to continue weakening and lose its tropical characteristics due to cooler sea surface temperatures.
Hurricane Karina's vertical wind shear was evident in NASA imagery captured on August 14, with clouds being pushed to the western side of the storm. The National Hurricane Center predicts further weakening over the next two days as Karina moves over sea surface temperatures near 26C.
Tropical Storm Karina formed in the Eastern Pacific on August 13 near Socorro Island, strengthening from a 11th tropical depression. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph with an estimated minimum central pressure of 1005 millibars.
The Arctic Radiation IceBridge Sea and Ice Experiment (ARISE) aims to study the effect of sea ice retreat on Arctic climate. ARISE will conduct research flights over the Arctic from Aug. 28 to Oct. 1, collecting data on ice, clouds, and radiation balance.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Storm Karina on August 13, revealing a concentration of strong thunderstorms around its center. The storm is strengthening and expected to become a hurricane late on August 14 as it moves westward through the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Tropical Storm Julio is located over 700 miles away from Hawaii, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. The storm is expected to weaken and turn north by August 15.
The Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment demonstrated two new radar instruments, improving rainfall measurement. The High-altitude Wind and Rain Profiler and ER-2 X-Band Radar provided a unique capability by capturing how cloud droplets and raindrops move relative to each other.
Extreme wildfire danger is raging in British Columbia, Canada, with over 142,000 hectares of land impacted. The majority of fires occurred in BC, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories, with high to extreme fire danger across western and northern Canada.
Hurricane Julio is moving north-northwest towards Hawaii, expected to weaken due to vertical wind shear. Two tropical lows are also developing in the Central Pacific Ocean, with low chances of formation.
Numerous wildfires have impacted Russia's landscape this summer, producing smoke that has drifted to the Arctic Sea. The smoke contains a mixture of particles and chemicals produced by incomplete burning of carbon-containing materials.
Tropical Storm Iselle weakened significantly before striking the southeast coast of Hawaii's Big Island, causing widespread damage and power outages. The storm brought heavy rain and strong winds to the island, with sustained winds of 60 mph at landfall.
Tropical Depression Genevieve dissipated in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean after a two-week journey through three Pacific regions. Maximum sustained winds dropped to 25 knots as the storm moved northwest at 8 knots.