Satellite estimates of tropical cyclone precipitation using TRMM, GOES, and SSM/I

During the past three decades, flooding has emerged as a paramount cause of fatalities associated with tropical cyclones. Recent hurricanes like Mitch and Floyd provide dramatic examples of the hazards associated with landfalling hurricanes. Unfortunately, accurate measurement and forecast of tropical cyclone (TC) precipitation remain critical problems and our knowledge of hurricane precipitation structure is limited. The pattern of devastation has raised questions about the adequacy of quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPF), the timing of maximum rainfall intensity, and the susceptibility of certain areas to floods. The Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) satellite and field campaigns have given us the unprecedented opportunity to explore TC precipitation in great detail.

This study examines rainfall variability during the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season and introduces a new approach to quantitative precipitation estimates (QPEs). Data from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR), Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I), Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) infrared (IR, 10mm) and rain gauges are combined to create better temporal and spatial resolution of tropical cyclone rainfall. The data set produced from this study will be useful for numerical model initialization and data assimilation. This study contributes to a broader effort to apply satellite technologies, combined with radar- and ground based information, in characterizing tropical rainfall and reducing risk from floods.