TRMM Sees Powerful Hurricane Michael by NASA Goddard Photo and Video on Flickr.

A través de Flickr:
Hurricane Michael was located in the central Atlantic ocean and moving slowly northward when the TRMM satellite passed above on September 6, 2012 at 1858 UTC (2:28 PM EDT). TRMM had an excellent view of Michael as the hurricane was weakening slightly from a powerful category three hurricane with wind speeds of 100 kts (~115 mph). Michael’s well defined circular eye is clearly shown by a combination visible and infrared image from TRMM’s Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS) instruments. Click here to see an animation that fades from the Visible and InfraRed image a rainfall analysis using data from TRMM’s Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) instruments. This TRMM TMI/PR rainfall analysis reveals that intense rainfall at a rate of over 75 mm/hr (~3 inches) was falling in an outer eye wall. An inner replacement eye is revealed by TRMM PR data. Click here to see animations of 3-D TRMM PR images that show Michael’s rainfall structure.

Hal Pierce
SSAI/NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA image use policy.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.

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