Research on rainfall and the water cycle. Covers climate-driven precipitation, hurricanes and storms, moisture transport, and extreme-weather forecasting.
Tropical Storm Humberto re-formed over two days, with significant changes observed in rainfall patterns by NASA's TRMM satellite. The HS3 mission uses Global Hawk aircraft to investigate storm processes and gather data on the environment of the storm.
Tropical Storm Manuel caused powerful thunderstorms that dropped heavy rainfall in southwestern Mexico. The remnants of the storm continued to bring heavy rains to the region after dissipation on Sept. 16.
Typhoon Man-yi made landfall in southern Japan and quickly crossed the big island, dropping heavy rainfall and causing deadly mudslides. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast track predicts Man-yi will head northeast into the Sea of Okhotsk by Sept. 17.
Researchers at MIT developed a new model of malaria transmission that combines global forecasts with local rainfall data, predicting minimal increase in disease incidence despite projected temperature and rainfall changes. The study aims to provide more accurate predictions for specific variables relevant to society, such as malaria in...
Researchers from the University of Guelph compared 55 years of Wisconsin and Ontario data to determine associations between weather and crop yields. Key findings indicate that hot days during June-July-August and rainfall were significant factors affecting yield, with heat tolerance being crucial for breeding purposes.
NASA's GOES project captured three tropical cyclones on September 14, including Tropical Storm Manuel, Ingrid, and the remnants of Hurricane Gabrielle. The satellite images showed all four storms in a single image created by NASA, highlighting their locations and movement.
Tropical Storm Ingrid has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, bringing heavy rainfall and flash flooding to eastern Mexico. The storm is expected to move slowly along the coast, with maximum sustained winds near 45 mph and 10-15 inches of rain forecasted over a large part of eastern Mexico.
Hurricane Humberto's strongest precipitation was concentrated in the northwestern quadrant due to intense southwesterly wind shear. The storm is expected to weaken to a tropical storm late on September 13, with winds near 75 mph and shifting trajectory towards the west-northwest.
Residents of Mexico's eastern and western coast are experiencing double tropical trouble as two storms, TD13E and Ingrid, form in the Pacific Ocean. The storms have the potential to drop up to 20 inches of rain, causing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
Tropical Depression Gabrielle is expected to bring heavy rainfall to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island as it approaches a cold front. The depression's cloud tops reached temperatures as low as -63F/-52C, indicating potential for severe weather.
Two NASA satellites, Aqua and TRMM, analyzed Hurricane Humberto's environment on Sept. 10, gathering data on cloud-top temperatures and rainfall rates. The heaviest rainfall was found west of the storm's center, with rates reaching up to 2 inches per hour.
Wind shear significantly altered the rainfall pattern of Tropical Storm Gabrielle, with intense storms southeast of Bermuda receiving heavy rain. The storm is expected to weaken due to continued wind shear, which disrupts the heat engine and tilts the circulation center.
NASA's Aqua satellite detected powerful thunderstorms with cloud-top temperatures of -63F/-52C, indicating strong uplift and potential for heavy rainfall. The Global Hawk unmanned aircraft is gathering data on the storm, which is expected to pass over or near Bermuda, producing rainfall amounts of 3-5 inches and a storm surge of 2-3 feet.
Researchers uncover new geological phenomena, including mirror-like faults, petit-spot volcanism, and water in nominally anhydrous minerals. These discoveries shed light on the complex processes shaping our planet's surface.
Heavy rainfall was detected south of Tropical Storm Humberto's center with rain rates reaching 2 inches per hour. The storm strengthened to near 65 mph winds and is expected to turn northwest before moving north, posing threat to the Atlantic Ocean season.
A new study reconstructs climate in the South Pacific over the past 446 years, revealing more dramatic rainfall variability before the start of the 20th century. The researchers found a roughly 50-year cycle of rainfall in Vanuatu, with significant differences between wet and dry periods.
NASA's HS3 mission investigated Tropical Storm Gabrielle's remnants near the Bahamas, while Aqua satellite data showed strong thunderstorms strengthening Humberto. Humberto is expected to continue strengthening and potentially become a hurricane.
Tropical Storm Lorena is expected to bring heavy rainfall along Mexico's west coast, with the heaviest rain falling at a rate of 2 inches per hour near Culiacan. The storm's powerful thunderstorms are also producing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
NASA's TRMM and Terra satellites monitored cloud extent and rainfall within Tropical Storm Gabrielle. System 99L shows potential to become a tropical storm near Mexico's east coast, while System 98L remains disorganized in Eastern Atlantic.
NASA's TRMM satellite sees 'hot towers' in Tropical Depression 12E, suggesting intensification. The hot towers, which reach altitudes of up to 15 km, are associated with heavy rainfall and a higher likelihood of strengthening within six hours.
Tropical Depression Seven strengthened into Tropical Storm Gabrielle just 70 miles south of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The storm brought heavy rains to Puerto Rico and adjacent islands on September 5.
Extra-Tropical Storm Toraji brought heavy rainfall to Japan's big island, with coldest cloud top temperatures and strongest thunderstorms detected by NASA's AIRS instrument. The storm has increased in forward speed and is now being carried by a fast-moving frontal boundary across Japan.
Research from the University of Hawaii at Manoa reveals that greenhouse gases and aerosols have similar spatial patterns of climate responses, leading to changes in ocean-atmospheric feedback structures. This finding challenges previous distinctions between aerosol-induced and greenhouse-gas-induced changes in rainfall.
Heavy rainfall was recorded in western Taiwan due to Tropical Storm Kong-Rey, with rates exceeding 205mm/hour. The storm passed through the region on August 28, causing widespread flooding and damage.
Researchers use mathematical models to predict vegetation pattern formation in dry environments. The Klausmeier model determines the critical rainfall level needed for banded vegetation patterns to form. This study has significant implications for land management and environmental concerns.
Tropical Storm Juliette weakened near Mexico's Baja California on Aug 29, 2013, with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph/65 kph. Two other low-pressure areas in the Eastern Pacific were also being monitored for development.
Tropical Storm Fernand's heavy rain caused mudslides in Mexico, resulting in 13 deaths. NASA's TRMM satellite gathered data on the storm's precipitation, which was used to estimate TMPA rainfall totals and monitor damages across 19 municipalities.
Tropical Storm Fernand's remnants are still streaming moisture over eastern Mexico, causing heavy rainfall and cloud cover in the region. The National Meteorological Service of Mexico expects intense and heavy rain to hit northeastern states, east and central Mexico, with a warning remaining in effect for heavy rainfall.
Tropical Depression Pewa dissipated over the Pacific Ocean on August 26, 2013. NASA satellite data revealed a significant decrease in rainfall by August 25, indicating the storm's weakening. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecasted this outcome, and further observations confirmed the depression's waning life.
Tropical Storm Kong-Rey has formed in the northwestern Pacific, with NASA's Aqua satellite capturing its strengthening circulation. The storm is expected to bring scattered to widespread rain showers and thunderstorms to eastern Luzon, with sustained winds of 32-39 mph/52-63 kph.
Tropical Storm Fernand formed rapidly over Mexico, with NASA's TRMM satellite detecting towering thunderstorms and heavy rainfall rates exceeding 2 inches per hour. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 50 mph at landfall, causing significant flooding and threatening life-threatening flash floods.
Tropical Storm Ivo is expected to bring heavy surf and moderate to heavy rainfall to southern Baja California over the next couple of days. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph/65 kph at its center.
Typhoon Trami is expected to make landfall near Fuzhou, China, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds to the region. The storm's maximum sustained winds are near 70 knots/80 mph, with tropical-storm-force winds extending out 100 nautical miles.
Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Trami and monsoon rains caused severe flooding in the northern Philippines, including Manila, resulting in three deaths and two missing. The storms enhanced each other's rainfall, bringing heavy downpours to the region.
A rare combination of atmospheric patterns drove heavy rains over Australia in 2010-11, causing seas to drop measurably. The event, linked to La Niña and the Southern Annular Mode, was a unique complex pattern that temporarily halted rising sea levels caused by climate change.
Tropical Storm Erin is intensifying in the eastern Atlantic due to strong thunderstorms and a 'hot tower' in its center, reaching maximum sustained winds near 40 mph. Research shows tropical cyclones with hot towers are more likely to intensify.
NASA satellite data revealed that Ex-Tropical Storm Utor still had a circulation after making landfall in southern China. The storm was responsible for one death and five missing persons as of August 15.
Heavy rainfall in Typhoon Utor's thunderstorm feeder-bands was detected by NASA's TRMM satellite, with rain falling at rates of over 73mm/hour. The storm strengthened over the South China Sea before making landfall in China, with maximum sustained winds reaching 95 knots/109.3 mph.
Four NASA satellites provided crucial data on Super-Typhoon Utor's rainfall rates, wind speeds, and storm strength. The data helped forecasters predict the typhoon's landfall and track its movement through the South China Sea.
Hurricane Henriette weakened to a depression in the Central Pacific Ocean on August 11, with NASA's TRMM satellite observing its decline. Two other low-pressure areas, System 93E and System 92E, are being monitored for possible development in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
NASA's TRMM satellite detected powerful thunderstorms reaching 10 miles high in Hurricane Henriette, which dropped heavy rainfall. The storm's towering clouds, known as 'hot towers,' played a role in its formation and intensification.
Researchers use NASA satellite data to track zebra movements and predict migration timing, revealing the importance of environmental cues. The study combines GPS tracking with satellite imagery and rainfall data to understand what drives animal migrations.
A new study published in the Journal of Climate reveals that the Montreal Protocol, which phased out chlorofluorocarbons in 1987, also protected global hydroclimate and prevented major disruption to rainfall patterns. The treaty's success is attributed to its impact on atmospheric circulation, greenhouse gases, and evaporation cycles.
A new study by UC Berkeley and Princeton researchers found that climate strongly affects human conflict and violence globally. Climate-related factors such as temperature and drought are consistently linked to increased personal and intergroup violence.
NASA's HS3 mission will investigate tropical cyclones using a new dual-frequency conical-scanning Doppler radar called HIWRAP. The instrument measures wind and rain in hurricanes, providing critical data sets needed for improved understanding and forecasting.
NASA's TRMM satellite observed intense bands of rain wrapping around Tropical Storm Gil's future eye, indicating strong organization. Powerful storms with rain rates over 5.2 inches per hour were detected near the storm's center, featuring 'hot towers' that could contribute to rapid intensification.
Research highlights the connection between atmospheric rivers and severe precipitation in Western Europe. A study found that these rivers are also responsible for high precipitation events in mountainous areas, with significant impacts felt as far inland as Germany and Poland.
Tropical Storm Flossie weakened as it interacted with the Hawaiian Islands, with NASA's TRMM satellite detecting a small area of heavy rain west of the center. The rest of Flossie's rainfall was light to moderate, and forecasters predict continued weakening over the next two days.
Tropical Storm Flossie brings heavy rainfall and strong winds to the Hawaiian Islands, with dangerously high surf expected. Satellite data shows the storm's movement and expected impact on Kona coffee crops, with moist air causing orographic lift and rain on the windward side.
The heaviest rainfall was observed at a rate of 1.2 inches per hour north of the storm's center, with most remaining rainfall being light to moderate. The storm is moving west-northwest towards Hawaii, prompting residents to monitor its approach.
Researchers at Brown University found evidence of orographic precipitation causing water-carved valleys on Mars, indicating ancient snowfall. The study's findings shed light on early Martian climate and atmosphere.
Typhoon Soulik maintained its eye just before making landfall in southeastern China on July 13, and NASA's Terra satellite captured the eye in an image. The storm caused hundreds of deaths and missing due to heavy rainfall in southern China.
Tropical Storm Chantal weakened to a remnant low pressure area over Hispaniola on July 10, with NASA tracking its demise. The storm brought heavy rainfall and gusty winds to the region, and its remnants are expected to affect Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas.
Tropical Storm Chantal is bringing powerful thunderstorms and heavy rainfall to the Caribbean Sea, with a storm surge of 1-3 feet expected in affected areas. The National Hurricane Center predicts tropical storm conditions will affect Windward Islands today and Puerto Rico tonight or early Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Erick brought heavy rain and strong winds to the Mexican coast, with NASA's TRMM satellite tracking its movement. The storm weakened over the next two days, but not before causing rough surf and ocean swells that posed a life-threatening risk to southern Baja California.
Researchers at ETH Zurich found that ocean eddies have a significant impact on weather patterns, particularly in the Southern hemisphere. Warm eddies increase near-surface wind speed, cloud cover, and rain probability, while cold eddies have the opposite effect.
Tropical Storm Rumbia brought heavy rainfall to southern China with rainfall rates over 92mm/hour, impacting areas near the Gulf of Tonkin. NASA's TRMM satellite data showed intense thunderstorms streaming heavy rainfall into China from the South China Sea.
Typhoon Rumbia is bringing heavy rainfall, tropical-storm force winds, and flash flooding to southeastern China. The storm's western quadrant is interacting with Hainan Island, weakening the storm ahead of its expected landfall near Zhanjiang.
Hurricane Cosme weakened after being tracked by NASA satellites, causing strong winds on Clarion Island, Mexico. The storm was expected to continue weakening and drop to tropical depression status on June 27.
Computer simulations suggest that Indian monsoon daily variability will likely increase under future global warming, leading to severe impacts on agriculture and communities. The study's findings highlight the need for adaptation measures to account for this increased variability, such as intelligent insurance schemes.