Research on clouds and the atmosphere. Covers Southern Ocean clouds, ocean-derived aerosols, sea-ice cloud formation, and dust after impacts.
Tropical Storm Kevin's center is located near the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. The storm is expected to weaken due to decreasing sea surface temperatures and increasing vertical wind shear, leading to a depression by September 6.
Tropical Storm Fred is being affected by strong upper-level westerly winds, which are pushing the highest thunderstorms southeast of the storm's center. The cyclone consists of a vigorous swirl of low clouds and has maximum sustained winds near 40 mph.
Tropical Depression 14E appears as an asymmetric mass of clouds and thunderstorms due to southwesterly vertical wind shear. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph, with a potential for the depression to strengthen into a tropical storm.
Tropical Storm Ignacio has weakened significantly, with maximum sustained winds near 70 mph, as it moves north of the Hawaiian Islands. The storm is expected to turn north-northwest late on September 3 and slow weakening is anticipated starting Thursday.
Hurricane Ignacio is being affected by wind shear, weakening the storm. Infrared satellite data shows that southwesterly wind shear is pushing thunderstorms to the northeast, causing a 'warmer banding feature' across the western and northern semicircles.
Tropical Depression 14E forms in Eastern Pacific Ocean on September 1 with NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite. The depression features fragmented thunderstorms and a stretched cloud pattern indicating poor organization.
Researchers suggest increased low clouds in the Arctic due to rising temperatures could slow the formation of frigid air masses, explaining past and future continental warming. This mechanism may have allowed crocodiles to thrive in Wyoming during the Cretaceous and Eocene periods.
Hurricane Kilo is a category four hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 135 mph, moving north-northwest at 10 mph. The storm is expected to cross the International Date Line into the Northwest Pacific Ocean later on August 31.
Hurricane Jimena maintained its large eye and powerful thunderstorms around it, with cloud-free eyes revealed by NASA's Aqua satellite. The storm's warm sea surface temperatures fueled its intensification, with NHC predicting little change in strength over the next day.
Hurricane Ignacio is weakening as it moves parallel to the Hawaiian Islands, with NASA's Aqua satellite providing valuable temperature data. The storm's cloud tops are expected to drop, leading to a decrease in heavy rainfall potential.
NASA's GOES-East satellite tracked Tropical Storm Erika's movement from August 27 to August 29, showing its weakening as it passed through the Leeward Islands and into the Eastern Caribbean Sea. The storm's remnants are expected to produce heavy rainfall across portions of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and eastern Cuba through Sunday.
Hurricane Jimena is rapidly intensifying due to its strong thunderstorms building up quickly, especially in its northern quadrant. The storm's maximum sustained winds are expected to reach 145 mph, making it a powerful Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.
Tropical Storm Jimena strengthens with deep convection and banding around its circulation. The storm is forecast to become a hurricane on August 27, with rapid intensification possible within the next 24 hours.
Hurricane Ignacio strengthened to a hurricane after showing very cold cloud tops, indicating stronger uplift in tropical cyclones. The storm's maximum sustained winds increased to near 85 mph with forecasted peak strength on August 29.
Tropical Storm Erika is expected to produce 2-4 inches of rain and slow strengthening over the next 48 hours. The storm's center will move near or over parts of the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico from August 26-28.
The remnants of Typhoon Atsani triggered watches for heavy rain and snow in parts of Alaska on August 26, 2015. Cloud top temperatures indicated strong storms with potential for heavy rainfall, particularly near -63F/-53C.
NASA's GPM and NOAA's GOES satellites provide insights into Tropical Storm Erika's rainfall patterns and cloud structure. The storm is expected to approach the Leeward Islands on Wednesday night, prompting a Tropical Storm Watch for several Caribbean islands.
Tropical Storm Loke is strengthening in the Central Pacific, with NASA's Terra satellite gathering data on its powerful storms. The storm is expected to reach hurricane strength later today, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds to affected areas.
Tropical Storm Atsani was elongated with powerful thunderstorms in its quadrants, but its eastern quadrant showed almost no activity. The storm's interaction with westerlies and impending drop in sea surface temperatures indicate it may transition to an extra-tropical storm.
Tropical Depression Danny was already affecting the Leeward Islands when NASA's Terra satellite passed overhead. The storm is expected to produce heavy rainfall over several islands in the region.
Hurricane Danny is a small Category 2 hurricane with hurricane-force winds extending only 15 miles from the eye. Satellite data indicates maximum sustained winds of near 105mph and an estimated minimum central pressure of 976 millibars.
A new tropical depression formed in the Central Pacific Ocean on August 20, with NASA's Aqua satellite capturing its infrared image on August 21. The system is moving northwards and is expected to curve northwest by August 22.
CloudSat's cloud profiling radar captured the sloping nature of Super Typhoon Atsani's eyewall, revealing heavy rainfall and powerful thunderstorms. The satellite also detected deep convective cloud tops northwest and southeast of the eye, with winds extending over 60 nautical miles from the center.
Typhoon Goni, a Category 4 hurricane, was analyzed by NASA's Aqua satellite on August 19, 2015, revealing cloud top temperatures as cold as -63.1F/-81.6C surrounding its eye.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Tropical Storm Danny, revealing cloud top temperatures near -63F/-52C and sea surface temperatures over 300 kelvin. The storm is expected to strengthen and potentially become a hurricane by August 23, with maximum sustained winds reaching 105 mph.
The Suomi NPP satellite gathered infrared data on Typhoon Goni, showing the strongest thunderstorms in its eastern and southern quadrants. The storm maintained a convective signature despite weakening uplift, with winds near 115mph and a Category Three rating.
Typhoon Atsani formed on August 14 as Tropical Depression 17W and strengthened into a typhoon on August 16. NASA's Terra satellite detected powerful thunderstorms around its eye on August 17, with cloud top temperatures reaching -63F/-53C.
A NASA animation showcases Hurricane Hilda's weakening phase, from a hurricane to a low-pressure area, as it moves towards Hawaii. The storm encountered wind shear, leading to its dissipation.
Tropical Storm Molave was observed by NASA's Suomi NPP satellite on August 13, 2015, with a distinctive fan shape and strong winds near 40 knots. The storm was moving east-northeast at 15 knots and forecasters expect it to continue in that direction.
NASA satellite data revealed towering thunderstorms in Hurricane Hilda dropping heavy rainfall, with storms north of the eye releasing over 5.9 inches of rain per hour. The storm's cloud tops reached altitudes of over 10 miles, indicating powerful weather conditions.
The Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Storm Molave, revealing strong winds and clouds southeast of the storm's center. The satellite data showed that the strongest winds were in this quadrant, with forecasters predicting intensification over warm sea surface temperatures.
NASA's Terra satellite detected a surge in thunderstorm development on Molave, leading to its regaining of tropical storm status. The storm is intensifying as it moves northeast, expected to reach peak intensity of 60 knots (69 mph) before becoming extra-tropical.
A team of University of Miami researchers conducted an airborne experiment on low-lying clouds in the Pacific Ocean to better understand their effects on global climate. The project uses advanced technologies like Doppler cloud radar and aerosol lidar to study cloud structure, aerosols, and precipitation.
Typhoon Soudelor's eye has expanded to 17-nautical-mile-wide, surrounding powerful thunderstorms. The storm made landfall in central Taiwan on August 7, with maximum sustained winds increasing to 105 knots (120.8 mph).
Tropical Depression Guillermo has weakened significantly due to strong vertical wind shear, inhibiting thunderstorm development. The storm is forecast to become a remnant low later today and dissipate on Saturday.
Tropical Storm Hilda formed early on August 6 in the Eastern Pacific, with the GOES-West satellite capturing its development. The storm strengthened into a tropical storm by 11 a.m. EDT and is expected to reach hurricane strength by Saturday.
Tropical Storm Guillermo is experiencing strong vertical wind shear, leading to a wedge-shaped storm. The system is expected to weaken further as it encounters dry air and continues moving west-northwest towards the Hawaiian Islands.
Tropical Storm Guillermo is creeping closer to the Hawaiian Islands, prompting a tropical storm watch for counties including Maui and Hawaii. The storm's maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph, with expected slow and steady weakening.
The study provides insight into the mechanism of water transitioning from a liquid to a crystalline solid. It also explores the origin of two different crystalline shapes that ice can take at ambient pressure, shedding light on why cubic ice is favored over hexagonal ice during initial stages of nucleation.
Tiny marine organisms produce airborne gases and organic matter to seed cloud droplets, leading to brighter clouds that reflect more sunlight. This process affects the amount of solar energy reaching Earth's surface, with implications for global climate.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data showing cloud top temperatures as cold as -63F/-53C on July 23, indicating potential heavy rainfall. The tropical depression is moving away from the Philippines in a north-northeasterly direction with maximum sustained winds near 25 knots.
NASA satellite data shows Tropical Cyclone Halola getting stronger with strongest sustained winds appearing on the northeastern side as strong as 22 meters per second. The storm's cloud top temperatures are also getting colder, indicating more uplift or strength in the storm, potentially leading to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.
Tropical Storm Dolores is weakening due to colder water and increased wind shear, forecasted to become a remnant low in a few days. Swells generated by the storm affect southwestern Mexico and western Baja California.
NASA detected strongest thunderstorms east of Tropical Storm Halola's circulation center with cloud top temperatures reaching -63F/-53C. The storm is forecast to intensify and reach typhoon status over the next several days, posing a threat to the island of Iwo To, Japan.
New research reveals that marine plankton in the Southern Ocean produce airborne gases and organic matter to seed cloud droplets, leading to brighter clouds. The study found correlations between phytoplankton blooms and increased cloud droplet concentrations, which reflect about 4 watts of solar energy per square meter.
Tropical cyclones require sea surface temperatures of at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain strength. Tropical Storm Enrique has moved into an area with temperatures below this threshold, leading to weakening and reduced winds.
Typhoon Halola has become elongated due to wind shear, with cloud top temperatures as low as -63F/-52C, leading to heavy rainfall. The storm is expected to maintain typhoon intensity and move west-northwestward over the next several days.
Hurricane Dolores was a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds near 130 mph, affecting southwestern Mexico and Baja California peninsula. The storm is expected to continue moving westward, with some strengthening possible during the night of July 14.
Satellite data indicates Hurricane Dolores is strengthening, with colder cloud tops and increased sustained winds of near 80 mph. The storm's trajectory suggests it will continue to pull away from the coast, potentially bringing heavy rainfall and rough surf to southwestern Mexico.
Tropical Storm Enrique forms after satellite image analysis shows improved organization and convection. Maximum sustained winds reach near 40 mph with higher gusts, posing a threat to cooler sea surface temperatures and dry air in its path.
NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of Tropical Depression Iune as a elongated storm before dry air affected it. The depression is expected to become a post-tropical remnant low and dissipate by July 15.
Ocean organisms produce aerosols that nearly double cloud droplet numbers in summer, boosting sunlight reflection. The study estimates the equivalent solar energy impact over the whole Southern Ocean.
Supertyphoon Nangka was observed by NASA's Aqua satellite on July 9, providing visible and infrared images of the storm. The storm had powerful thunderstorms with a 9.2 km-wide eye and temperatures as low as -63°C, capable of generating heavy rain.
Tropical Storm Ela formed in Eastern Pacific and became Central Pacific's first named storm, battling wind shear to survive. The storm has maximum sustained winds near 40 mph with higher gusts, and is forecast to weaken due to persistent wind shear.
Tropical Storm Linfa has strengthened in the South China Sea, with maximum sustained winds reaching 50 knots (57.5 mph) on July 7. The storm is moving northwards between Luzon and Taiwan, forecast to make landfall in mainland China.
Typhoon Nangka strengthened from a tropical storm to a typhoon under NASA's observation, showcasing powerful thunderstorms and coldest cloud top temperatures near -81 Fahrenheit. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecasts the system to intensify beyond Category 5 before weakening.
Typhoon Chan-Hom continues to strengthen as it moves through the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. Powerful winds of up to 55.9 mph/90 kph were detected near 25 meters per second from north of the center.
Typhoon Nangka's infrared data showed cold cloud top temperatures indicating strong thunderstorms and a good circulation. The storm intensified from a tropical storm to a typhoon after NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead on July 6.
Typhoon Chan-Hom strengthened over three days, peaking as a Category 4 typhoon with maximum sustained winds nearing 130 knots. The storm is forecast to pass between Ishigakjima and Kadena islands on July 9 before making landfall in eastern China.
Tropical Storm Linfa weakened due to wind shear after moving over land, with a elongated shape and deep convection in the southwest quadrant. The storm is forecast to strengthen before dissipating in the Taiwan Strait on July 10.