The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is a joint U.S.-Japan satellite mission to monitor tropical and subtropical (40 S - 40 N) precipitation and to estimate its associated latent heating. The TRMM satellite provides the first detailed and comprehensive dataset on the four dimensional distribution of rainfall and latent heating over vastly undersampled tropical and subtropical oceans and continents. The TRMM satellite was launched on November 27, 1997. Data from the TRMM satellite are archived and distributed by the NASA Goddard DAAC.

On 19 June 1999, NASA launched the QuikSCAT satellite. The SeaWinds instrument on the QuikSCAT satellite is a specialized radar that measures near-surface wind speed and direction at a 25-km resolution. The instrument is capable of measuring winds over approximately 90% of the ice-free ocean on a daily basis. The data are archived and distributed by the NASA JPL.

An online analysis and visualization of TRMM and QuikSCAT data is being developed. The simple tool will allow investigators to analyze TRMM rainfall and QuikSCAT sea surface winds and examine their relationship. Examples of using this tool will be given.