Research on clouds and the atmosphere. Covers Southern Ocean clouds, ocean-derived aerosols, sea-ice cloud formation, and dust after impacts.
Super Typhoon Jelawat's cloud top temperatures exceeded -63F, indicating uplift and strengthening. Tropical Storm Ewinar is getting organized due to wind shear from nearby Typhoon Jelawat.
Former Hurricane Lane's remnants spotted in Eastern Pacific as post-tropical cyclone, with maximum sustained winds near 35 mph. The system is expected to continue steadily weakening and dissipate into a trough of low pressure.
Hurricane Lane's eye has become cloud-filled, resembling being punched in the eye, due to powerful thunderstorms surrounding it. Cooler waters and increased wind shear are forecast to weaken the storm further, leading to its eventual dissipation by Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Kristy weakened to a remnant low pressure area while Hurricane Lane strengthened into a hurricane, according to NASA's Terra satellite observations. Lane exhibited a tighter circulation than Kristy, prompting warnings of life-threatening surf and rip current conditions in southern and central Baja California.
Typhoon Sanba made landfall in southern South Korea on Sept. 17, causing power outages, canceled flights, and ferries. The storm's extensive cloud cover stretched from South Korea to eastern Siberia, affecting over 67,000 homes in Japan.
Tropical Storm Nadine is battling wind shear and dry air, which are hindering its intensification. Despite reaching near-hurricane strength, the storm lacks symmetry in its cloud pattern, a crucial factor for hurricane formation.
NASA's Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument captured an infrared image of System 90E, revealing strong thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. The low-pressure system strengthened into Tropical Depression 11E, forecasted to move west-northwest towards the coast.
Tropical Storm Leslie has moved away from Newfoundland, becoming a post-tropical cyclone as it skirts southern Iceland. In contrast, Tropical Storm Michael is weakening due to its location over cool waters and strong wind shear, forecast to become absorbed by a front soon.
Researchers found that aerosol particles in the Amazon rainforest, including those containing organic compounds and terpenes, often have high levels of potassium salts. These salts play a crucial role in cloud formation by providing seeds for liquid droplets to condense on.
NASA's Global Hawk aircraft has begun flying over Hurricane Leslie in the Atlantic Ocean, collecting data on hurricane formation and intensification. The mission will help researchers understand the relative roles of large-scale environment and internal storm processes in shaping hurricanes.
NASA satellites captured stunning visible and infrared images of Hurricane Michael's eye, revealing clear views of the Atlantic Ocean. The storm's cloud top temperatures cooled around its center on September 7.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured two images of Hurricane Leslie on Sept. 5, just as it was being re-classified from a tropical storm to a hurricane. The MODIS and AIRS instruments provided infrared and visible imagery of the storm, showing an eye had formed in Leslie.
Tropical Storm Michael showcased strong thunderstorms in its northeastern 'arm' with cloud top temperatures reaching -63 Fahrenheit (-52 Celsius), indicating heavy rainfall. The storm is expected to continue moving northeast and may strengthen into a hurricane by Friday due to relaxing wind shear.
Post-tropical cyclone John's cloud top temperatures warmed by 24 hours, with one tiny area of convection remaining. The remnants of the storm are moving northwest and expected to dissipate later today.
Tropical Storm Michael formed on Sept 4 with winds of near 40 mph, struggling to intensify like sister storms Leslie and Isaac. Remnants of Isaac blanket the US east coast, while Leslie heads towards Bermuda, larger in size than Michael.
Tropical Storm John existed for only one day, intensifying from a depression to a storm and weakening back into a depression. NASA's Aqua satellite observed convection and cloud top temperatures, but these features diminished as the storm moved north into cooler waters.
Tropical Storm Kirk intensified into a hurricane on Aug. 30, becoming the fifth of the season, while Tropical Depression 12 formed in the central Atlantic Ocean. TD12 is expected to strengthen over warm waters and potentially become a hurricane by Sept. 2.
Tropical Storm Tembin made landfall in southwestern South Korea, with NASA's Aqua satellite capturing the storm's elongated cloud cover. The storm's central convection was decaying rapidly due to southwesterly wind shear, losing its energy.
NASA's TRMM satellite spotted hot towers around Ileana's center, indicating a strong increase to hurricane status. The storm strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph within 24 hours.
Tropical Storm Kirk is strengthening due to powerful thunderstorms and will likely turn into a hurricane over the weekend, according to NASA infrared imagery.
Tropical Storm Bolaven made landfall on Aug. 28, moving quickly over land while transitioning into an ex-tropical storm. NASA's Terra satellite captured the remnants of Bolaven mostly centered over eastern China.
Tropical Storm Isaac is expected to make landfall in the US Gulf Coast, bringing storm surge and heavy rainfall. NASA satellites are providing critical data for forecasters to track the storm's progress.
Researchers observed rapid transport of exhaust plume from final space shuttle launch to the Arctic, forming unusually bright polar mesospheric clouds. The findings are critical for improving forecasts of communication signal propagation and over-the-horizon-radar.
Tropical Storm Bolaven is generating heavy rainfall and has been causing concern for flooding as it makes landfall in North Korea and southeastern China. The storm's cloud cover was extensive, blanketing the region with heavy precipitation rates greater than 75 mm/hr.
Typhoon Bolaven appears twice as large as Typhoon Tembin in a stunning image from NASA's Aqua satellite, with Bolaven's visible eye dominating the scene. Both storms show strong uplift and cold cloud top temperatures, indicating intense storm activity.
Tropical Storm Isaac is showing signs of consolidation according to NASA's infrared time series data, indicating a more organized circulation center. The storm is expected to strengthen into a hurricane over warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Scientists suggest cloud seeding could reduce hurricane power by a category by increasing sunlight reflection in clouds above hurricane development regions. The technique, Marine Cloud Brightening, could also lead to increased rainfall in some areas but not others.
NASA has detected a newborn Tropical Storm Joyce in the Central Atlantic, with organized circulation and cold cloud top temperatures indicating strength. The storm is being affected by a dry Saharan air layer, which is unusual for tropical cyclones, and is expected to follow a southern edge of high pressure over the ocean.
Researchers at University of Washington suggest testing the concept of marine cloud brightening through a small-scale experiment. The study aims to investigate the feasibility and potential climatological impacts of adding sea salt particles to clouds over oceans, which could create a cooling effect on Earth.
Tropical Storm Bolaven formed over August 18-19 in the western North Pacific and strengthened under NASA's monitoring. The storm took on a more rounded shape, with colder thunderstorm cloud-top temperatures indicating intensification.
Typhoon Tembin rapidly intensified over the past 24 hours, growing from a tropical depression to a powerful typhoon with maximum sustained winds near 95 knots. The storm is moving slowly north-northeast and is expected to track across Taiwan by August 23.
Tropical Storm Gordon's clouds became less symmetric due to southwesterly wind shear, indicating a shift in its circulation. The storm was moving eastward at 18 mph with sustained winds near 65 mph.
Tropical Storm Kai-tak continues to drop heavy rainfall and move toward a landfall in China, with NASA tracking its progress using infrared data from the Aqua satellite. Forecasters warn of potential intensification to typhoon strength before landfall near Hong Kong.
Scientists used two jets to film sprites at 10,000 frames per second, capturing movies that shed light on this poorly understood phenomenon. The research aims to study the forces behind sprite formation and its connection to lightning and atmospheric energy exchange.
Hurricane Gilma showed concentrated areas of very cold cloud tops with temperatures as low as -63F (-52C), indicating powerful thunderstorms. The storm is moving towards cooler waters, expected to weaken over the next day.
Tropical Storm 13W is weakening due to rising cloud top temperatures, according to NASA's infrared imagery. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 35 knots on August 7, and it was moving northwest at 9 knots.
Tropical Storm 13W showed strong uplift and high cloud tops north and east of its center, indicating powerful atmosphere circulation. Forecasters expect the storm to maintain intensity while tracking into drier air, preventing further intensification.
Three tropical cyclones, Tropical Storms Damrey and Saola, and Tropical Depression Haikui, are active in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. AIRS data showed that cloud top temperatures in Damrey and Saola were warming, while Haikui had a large area of cooling cloud top temperatures, indicating strong storms and heavy rain.
NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of Tropical Storm Ernesto as it approached the Lesser Antilles on August 2, 2012. The storm brought maximum sustained winds near 45 mph and a wind gust in Saint Lucia during the morning of August 3.
A NASA satellite has spotted a developing Atlantic tropical low with strong, high thunderstorms indicating organization and strength. The system, System 99L, is forecast to have a 70% chance of becoming a tropical depression in the next two days.
Tropical Storm Damrey is a compact storm system with strong thunderstorms and high cloud tops, expected to pass north of Iwo To, Japan. Forecasters predict the storm will track west-northwest over the next three days before making landfall near Shanghai, China.
Typhoon Saola is approaching Taiwan but stretches over the north and central Philippines, triggering warnings. The storm's huge extent has triggered public storm warning signals across several provinces.
A team of scientists discovered that cloud seeds can pick up molecules even when they don't collide directly with the clusters. The finding has significant implications for understanding atmospheric chemistry processes such as ozone depletion.
A low-pressure system in the western North Pacific is showing signs of organization, with NASA's Terra satellite capturing an infrared image of the area on July 27. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center has given System 93W a high chance of becoming a tropical depression over the weekend of July 28-29.
A NASA satellite has been monitoring System 92W, a low-pressure system in the western North Pacific Ocean, indicating increased power and uplift as it strengthens. The storm is expected to move west-northwest past northern Luzon, bringing heavy rainfall and potentially localized flooding.
Tropical Depression Khanun made landfall in South Korea on July 19, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds that caused widespread flooding and power outages. The storm's remnants moved over the Sea of Japan by 11 a.m. EDT, leaving behind significant damage and one reported fatality.
Tropical Storm Khanun is weakening as it approaches a landfall in western South Korea, bringing heavy rainfall and high seas. The storm is expected to make landfall just south of the North Korean border and then rapidly weaken.
Tropical Storm Fabio is expected to bring scattered showers and thunderstorms to southern California as it approaches the coast. NASA's Aqua satellite data indicates the storm has weakened due to cooler ocean temperatures.
Tropical Cyclone Khanun strengthened after passing over the Aqua satellite on July 15, 2012, with organized thunderstorms and low cloud top temperatures indicating potential for heavy rainfall.
The remnants of Tropical Storm Daniel are visible on satellite imagery as a ghost-like swirl of clouds, heading towards Hawaii. The system is forecast to pass south of the state without affecting it.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument captured a visible image of Hurricane Emilia on July 12, revealing an eye with high clouds overhead. Infrared data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument showed powerful thunderstorms and cold cloud tops surrounding the eye of the hurricane.
Cloud top temperatures around Hurricane Emilia's eye were measured to be colder than -94F, indicating high-energy storms. NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites tracked the hurricane's rapid strengthening and weakening phases.
University of Iowa scientists have created a technique to estimate cloud properties using remote sensing observations from satellites, correcting predictions of particle concentrations. This new method is expected to find immediate application in various activities, including air quality forecasting and climate projections.
Tropical Storm Daniel formed off western Mexico's coast and strengthened into a tropical storm, with NASA's TRMM satellite capturing images of its rainfall and towering clouds. Research shows that a hot tower in the eyewall is twice as likely to intensify within six hours than without one.
A powerful summer derecho moved from Illinois to the Mid-Atlantic states, bringing destruction and wind gusts of up to 90 mph. NASA satellites captured the event's progression and aftermath, including extensive power outages and massive blackouts.
Research reveals faster water condensation on less viscous aerosol particles, affecting cloud albedo and lifetime. The study's findings provide insight into the climate's 'known unknowns', highlighting the importance of understanding condensation rates.
Debby has weakened due to interactions with land, losing organization and moving towards the Atlantic Ocean. The storm brought heavy rain and flooding to northern Florida, causing damage to Interstate 10.
A new study using Cassini images shows that turbulent jet streams on Saturn are powered by internal heat from the planet. The condensation of water vapor in mid-latitudes creates temperature differences, leading to eddies that accelerate the jets like rotating gears.
NASA captures satellite images of Tropical Storm Debby covering the entire state of Florida with a large white blanket of clouds. The storm is expected to continue crawling to the northeast, bringing heavy rainfall and tropical-storm-force winds to the region.
A medium-chance tropical depression is possible in the south-central Gulf of Mexico, with NASA satellites providing key data on the area's low pressure. The system is expected to bring heavy rainfall and flooding to parts of Cuba, western Cuba, and southern Florida over the next couple of days.