NASA Measures Irene’s Record Rain Totals From Space

[n2doc]

By Dave Mosher August 31, 2011

NASA has totaled the impressive rainfall from Hurricane Irene using highly precise microwave measurements from a satellite.

The map, created using data recorded by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite from Aug. 20-29, reveals rainfall in some bands of the now-dissipated 10-day-long storm exceeded 2 inches per hour.

“Hurricane Irene was dropping tremendous amounts of rainfall over the eastern United States during a part of this period,” said TRMM team member Hal Pierce of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in a press release.


To gauge rainfall levels, the satellite relies on an instrument that measures microwave radiation. Flat water looks cold because of it doesn’t emit microwave radiation as readily, but round raindrops falling from clouds do and appear warm. By running calculations of the cold/warm contrast over oceans, TRMM can accurately assess rainfall totals.

more

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/08/hurricane-irene-rainfall-map/

[WhiteTara]

1. Over 2 feet of water in less than 48 hours

That's a lot of water falling and rushing.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. No; "The most rain from Irene — about 8.9 inches — fell in North Carolina"

I can't see anything in that article say the peak rate (such as "2 inches per hour") was kept up continuously.

Japan is about to get dumped on in a huge way - perhaps up to 20 inches of rain:

Typhoon Talas had maximum sustained winds of 126 kilometres per hour and gusts of 180 kilometres per hour as of 6 pm (0900 GMT), the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

This season's 12th typhoon could make landfall in western or central Japan Friday or Saturday, the agency said.

Rains up to 300 to 500 millimetres were forecast for some areas of eastern and western Japan in a 24-hour period through Friday evening.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/asiapacific/news/article_1660283.php/Strong-typhoon-approaches-Japan

[Jim__]

2. Where's Katia?

This is a satelite image of tropical storm Katia from the referenced article. Is Katia the large cloud mass that's east of South America?

[n2doc]

3. yep. n/t

[Odin2005]

5. Yup. Classic Cape Verde strorm, first of the season.