Research on rainfall and the water cycle. Covers climate-driven precipitation, hurricanes and storms, moisture transport, and extreme-weather forecasting.
The GPM satellite detected strong convective storms dropping rain at a rate of over 264 mm/hour, with some reaching heights of nearly 18 km. Favorable conditions are expected to aid Jelawat's rapid intensification and make it the first western Pacific Ocean typhoon of 2018.
Tropical Storm Jelawat is intensifying due to cold cloud top temperatures as low as minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit. The storm's maximum sustained winds strengthened to 50 knots on March 28, forecasted to reach hurricane force within 24 hours.
NASA analyzed satellite data to calculate Tropical Cyclone Nora's heavy rainfall in Queensland, revealing over 433 mm of rain in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The analysis also indicated significant precipitation along Nora's track into northwestern Queensland, causing flooding and landslides.
A recent study by Penn State researchers has found that fluctuations in rainfall in Uganda are linked to an increased risk of infant hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluids in the brain cavities. The research used satellite data and climate models to identify vulnerable areas for epidemic diseases, paving the way for preventive measures.
A new map by University of Colorado Boulder researchers shows wide variability in how and why different areas receive snow or rain. Coastal areas have a cooler threshold for rain, while inland and mountainous areas are more likely to see flurries even above freezing temperatures.
The VIIRS instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured a true-color image of Tropical Cyclone Marcus on March 18, 2018. The storm brought hurricane-force wind gusts to Darwin, Australia, and was moving west at 16 mph per hour.
Tropical Cyclone Eliakim caused severe flooding and landslides in eastern Madagascar with over 300 mm of rain, resulting in at least seven deaths. The storm's slow movement over the island nation led to continuous heavy rainfall.
GPM's Dual Frequency Precipitation Radar data revealed intense convective storms in Tropical Cyclone Eliakim's northwest quadrant, dropping rain at over 205 mm/hour. The storm showed improved organization and powerful convective storms on its way to landfall in Madagascar.
Tropical cyclone Eliakim is intensifying in the Indian Ocean, with NASA's GPM satellite monitoring its formation. The storm is expected to bring heavy rainfall and potentially devastating flooding to northern Madagascar, following recent tropical cyclones Ava and Dumazile.
Researchers developed a new model that quantifies yellow fever dynamics across Africa using seasonal climatic measures, confirming the risk varies throughout the year. The model accurately captured geographic and temporal heterogeneities in transmission and offers insights for early interventions.
Tropical Cyclone Hola dropped heavy rainfall on Vanuatu and New Caledonia, with maximum sustained winds of 95 knots (~ 105 mph) reported. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects the cyclone to recurve southeastward, avoiding a direct impact with New Caledonia.
NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission revealed extreme heavy rainfall in Tropical Cyclone Hola, dropping 9.5 inches per hour on the eastern edge of its low-level center. The satellite data showed convective storms reaching heights above 7.4 miles, posing a threat to Vanuatu and neighboring islands.
Tropical Cyclone Dumazile brought extremely heavy rainfall to Madagascar, with over 210 mm of precipitation reported along the northeastern coast. The GPM satellite detected intense bands of rain and storms dropping rain at rates of up to 160 mm/hour, causing widespread flooding.
The Global Precipitation Measurement mission captured intense rainfall rates exceeding 5.1 inches per hour in southwestern Arkansas. Life-threatening flood conditions resulted from over 10 inches of rain, with storm tops reaching heights above 5.6 miles.
A recent study reveals that almost one billion viruses and more than twenty million bacteria are deposited daily in high-mountain areas via atmospheric rain washout and gravity sedimentation. The research finds that viruses tend to adhere to smaller organic particles, while bacteria stick to mineral particles from the Sahara Desert.
Researchers Raphaël Huser and Jennifer Wadsworth developed an integrated statistical approach to modeling weather extremes, eliminating the need for guessing dependence strength. The new model can handle different spatial dependence scenarios, from strong correlations to complete independence.
Recent heavy rainfall and melting snow have caused widespread flooding across the central and southern US, from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes. NASA's rainfall analysis found above-normal precipitation in parts of the upper Midwest, exacerbating the flood threat.
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Gita's northerly wind shear caused the storm to break apart, affecting New Zealand with gusty winds, ocean swells, and heavy rain. The storm brought severe weather watches and warnings, including state of emergency declarations in several regions.
A global precipitation database analysis suggests that approximately 14% of the Earth's surface experiences annual precipitation dependence on the previous year, while 76% does not. This finding provides a framework for assessing long-lasting changes in rainfall by considering natural variability.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible-light image of Tropical Depression Sanba on Feb 15, revealing wispy clouds and low-level circulation center without rainfall. The depression was centered in the Sulu Sea, moving northwest towards the South China Sea with maximum sustained winds at 23 mph.
Tropical Cyclone Gita produced over a foot of rain, causing widespread destruction and flooding in Samoa and Tonga. NASA's IMERG analysis revealed heavy rains and strong winds affected both countries, with some structures destroyed including Tonga's historic Parliament House.
A global climate model predicts that arid cities like Phoenix will experience more severe heat waves by 2100 compared to their rural surroundings. This is because future arid cities will remain water-limited, while their rural neighbors are projected to be no longer dry due to increased rainfall.
A new study reveals that increased corn and soybean production in the Midwest led to significantly cooler and wetter summers. The research suggests a strong correlation between agricultural intensification and regional climate changes.
Tropical Cyclone Gita, a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind scale, is causing destruction and flooding in Fiji Islands. The storm's eye was located near 21.1 degrees south latitude and 179.1 degrees east longitude, with maximum sustained winds near 126.6 mph.
Heavy rainfall was triggered by Tropical Cyclone Gita, strengthening into a Category 4 hurricane on Feb 12. The storm produced intense rainfall rates of over 64 mm per hour in some areas, with the heaviest falls recorded northeast of Samoa at 224 mm per hour.
NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission found extreme rainfall in Tropical Cyclone Gita's northwestern quadrant, dropping up to 1.6 inches per hour, while east of the center, rain fell at a rate of 1 inch per hour
Tropical Cyclone Cebile, a weak and wispy storm, was detected by NASA's Aqua satellite on February 8. The storm lacked rainfall and had a thick band of clouds in its eastern quadrant.
Scientists developed a lightning-based approach to predict short-duration rainfall, using sharp increasing rates of lightning flashes to provide early warnings. The new method was tested over the Beijing Metropolitan Region and showed encouraging model performance, with successful early warnings for 67.8% of moderate and 87.0% of inten...
Tropical Cyclone Cebile in the Southern Pacific Ocean is experiencing strong vertical wind shear, causing rainfall to be pushed away from its center. The heaviest precipitation was found southeast of Cebile's center, with powerful storms on the southern side still dropping rain at high rates.
NASA and Japan's GPM core satellite tracked heavy rainfall from Tropical Cyclone Fehi's remnants in New Zealand. Rainfall rates exceeded 268 mm/h, with some areas experiencing intense storms that dropped over 10 inches of rain in just 12 hours.
NASA's Terra and GPM satellites confirmed that wind shear pushed Tropical Cyclone Fehi's clouds and thunderstorms south of its center. The storm triggered warnings in New Zealand due to heavy rainfall and strong winds.
NASA's GPM satellite measured Tropical Cyclone Cebile's rainfall intensity at over 228 mm/h on January 31, 2018. The storm's eye featured a clear circular structure with deep convective banding and sharp eyewall.
New research from the University of Lincoln found that jet stream changes are significantly associated with UK regional rainfall and temperatures. The study suggests that using predictions of jet stream changes can produce more accurate seasonal weather forecasts on a smaller, regional scale.
The GPM satellite identified heavy rainfall in Tropical Cyclone Fehi, with powerful storms dropping rain at a rate of over 3 inches per hour. The storm weakened as it moved southward, transitioning into an extra-tropical cold core system.
A study published in Nature Communications finds a correlation between Atlantic Ocean surface currents and rainfall patterns in the Western Hemisphere, both in the past and present. The research suggests that changes in ocean currents can influence global climate and may have far-reaching impacts on future climate change.
A new study reveals that Arctic warming is negatively impacting muskoxen, with juvenile growth hindered by mothers' inability to access food during winter rain events. The research found that even minor amounts of winter rain can have long-lasting effects on the growth of arctic mammals.
Heavy rainfall from Tropical Cyclone Berguitta affects Mauritius and Reunion Islands. NASA's Terra satellite image shows the storm's center just south of Mauritius, with both islands under warning.
Tropical Cyclone Berguitta formed in the southwestern Indian Ocean on January 12, 2018, and showed intense rainfall rates around its center. The storm's maximum sustained winds were estimated at 115 mph, but later dropped to 65 knots as it moved southwest.
Tropical Cyclone Joyce made landfall along the Pilbara Coast in Western Australia, with maximum sustained winds near 45 knots. The cyclone is expected to weaken as it tracks southwest through the region, but will continue to bring heavy rainfall and gusty winds.
Heavy rainfall in California, fueled by wildfires, caused deadly mudslides that killed at least 17 residents. NASA's LHASA model provided a landslide hazard assessment map, showing the potential for landslides.
A new study by Dartmouth College researchers reveals that at least 1% of U.S. voting-age adults change their partisan preference from Democrat to Republican on rainy election days, attributing this shift to a psychological behavior where voters are more averse to risk during poor weather conditions.
Tropical cyclone Ava caused extreme flooding and landslides in Madagascar, resulting in at least 29 deaths. NASA's IMERG analysis estimated near-700mm of rainfall in the Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar, with highest totals on land in northeastern regions.
A recent study found that the biennial rainfall relationship between Central America and equatorial South America has weakened remarkably since 2000. This weakening is attributed to changes in El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and tropical North Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) patterns.
Tropical Cyclone Irving was hurricane-force in the Southern Indian Ocean, with heavy rainfall rates of over 93 mm/h reported by GPM's DPR Ku Band. The storm's 3-D precipitation structure was examined, revealing powerful storms at altitudes of up to 17 km.
Researchers used a probabilistic approach to attribute the extreme event to natural variability and anthropogenic forcing. They found that strong El Niño events significantly increase the risk of extreme rainfall, but also suggest smaller-scale anthropogenic contributions.
Tropical Depression Bolaven caused flooding, landslides, and at least two deaths in the Philippines with heavy rain falling at a rate of almost 121 mm per hour. A NASA satellite observed the storm's 3-D structure, revealing storm tops exceeding 16 km high.
Tropical Cyclone Ava has strengthened with a more well-formed storm and strong thunderstorms over central Madagascar, posing heavy rainfall risks. The storm is expected to intensify further by January 5, potentially reaching 70 knots (80 mph) before moving south of the island nation.
Tropical Cyclone Hilda formed near Australia's northwest coast, with NASA's GPM satellite detecting heavy precipitation. The storm intensified to a tropical storm before dissipating over land, bringing a Tropical Cyclone Warning to the region.
Satellite imaging from NOAA's GOES-16 satellite reveals holiday travelers facing wet and snowy weather on both coasts. A large area of clouds associated with a frontal system is forecast to bring rain and snow across the US, with heavy rainfall and flooding predicted in the lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys.
Tropical Storm Kai-Tak generated heavy rainfall in central and southern Philippines, causing major flooding and landslides. The storm's estimated precipitation totals reached up to 512 mm (20.2 inches) along its track.
Research on turbulent broadening of cloud droplet size distributions and warm rain initiation has made significant progress in recent years. The study highlights the effects of turbulence on spectral broadening and collision-coalescence processes, with Chinese scientists playing a key role.
Tropical Storm Kai-Tak is expected to bring heavy rainfall to the southern and central Philippines due to its very cold cloud top temperatures. The storm has slowed down, increasing the likelihood of inland flooding in the Eastern Visayas region.
Farmers in the Northeast are adapting to longer growing seasons and warmer climate conditions, but may face financial losses due to delayed planting and increased disease problems. The region has seen a 71% increase in extreme precipitation events, which can lead to crop failures and reduced yields.
Tropical Storm Kai-tak developed near the east central Philippines, producing strong convective storms with heavy precipitation. GPM data showed intense storms dropping rain at a rate of over 143 mm/h and reaching altitudes of over 16 km.
A recent study by World Weather Attribution found that climate change increased the likelihood of extreme rainfall events like Hurricane Harvey. The research suggests that storms like Harvey are now three times more likely in today's climate.
New research shows human-induced climate change increased Hurricane Harvey's rainfall by at least 19 percent and potentially as much as 38 percent. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, confirms heavy rainfall events are increasing across the Gulf Coast region due to climate change.
A large observational study found no link between rainfall and visiting the doctor with joint pain, dispelling a commonly held belief. Despite this, researchers suggest larger data on disease severity may be needed to confirm or deny the relationship.
Researchers analyzed millions of doctor visits to find no correlation between rainfall and painful joints or sore backs. Despite the lack of evidence, many people still believe that certain symptoms are forecasted by weather conditions.
A short-lived tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal produced moderate to heavy rainfall along northeastern India's coastline. The analysis used data from NASA's IMERG mission showed that more than 508 mm of rain fell in the Bay of Bengal, with storm tops reaching heights of over 11.5 km.
A wet winter in San Francisco Bay has disrupted the balance of invasive species, allowing native species to thrive. The study found that freshwater years reset the system, creating an opportunity for management strategies to target non-native populations.