Monitoring Hurricane Matthew

Hurricane Matthew was the first Category 5 Atlantic hurricane in almost ten years. Its torrential rains and winds caused significant damage and loss of life as it coursed through the Caribbean and up along the southeastern U.S. coast. Researchers use a combination of satellite observations to re-create a multi-dimensional picture of the hurricane in order to study the complex atmospheric interactions. This data visualization follows Hurricane Matthew throughout its destructive run in the Caribbean and Southeast U.S. coast. By utilizing different data sets from NOAA s soil moisture product, and sea surface temperatures, scientists are able to put together a clearer picture of how this hurricane quickly intensified and eventually weakened. Animated time stamp to accompany data visualization of Hurricane Matthew. This is provided for video editors who would like to include accurate date and time information while showing the Hurricane Matthew visualization. Wind height colorbar. Color bar for frozen precipitation rates (ie, snow rates). Shades of cyan represent low amounts of frozen precipitation, whereas shades of purple represent high amounts of precipitation. Color bar for liquid precipitation rates (ie, rain rates). Shades of green represent low amounts of liquid precipitation, whereas shades of red represent high amounts of precipitation. Sea Surface Temperature Colorbar. Soil Moisture Anomaly Colorbar.

NASA s GPROF and DPR data swathes are then revealed to show the internal precipitation structure of this strong storm. After most of the DPR data is pulled away, a static 3D wind field is then shown to reveal the flow of air within the structure. DPR is then draped back over the wind fields to show the two datasets together. The winds are derived from GEOS-5.

NASA s DPR sensor reveals a curtain of 3D rain rates within the massive weather system. This visualization is the same as above except without colorbars and dates overlayed. (Useful for broadcasters who wish to organize the annotation layout differently.) Color bar for frozen precipitation rates (ie, snow rates). Shades of cyan represent low amounts of frozen precipitation, whereas shades of purple represent high amounts of precipitation. Color bar for liquid precipitation rates (ie, rain rates). Shades of green represent low amounts of liquid precipitation, whereas shades of red represent high amounts of precipitation.

NASA s GPROF sweeps in to show the tremendous amounts of rainfall throughout Haiti. We then move forward in time to October 6th as Matthew approaches Florida. Another GPM GPROF swath shows how close the outer bands of precipitation are to the Florida coast. Finally, we move a little further into the same day revealing the massive amounts of rainfall being produced by this storm as it begins to impact Florida. This visualization is the same as above except without colorbars and dates overlayed. (Useful for broadcasters who wish to organize the annotation layout differently.) Color bar for frozen precipitation rates (ie, snow rates). Shades of cyan represent low amounts of frozen precipitation, whereas shades of purple represent high amounts of precipitation. Color bar for liquid precipitation rates (ie, rain rates). Shades of green represent low amounts of liquid precipitation, whereas shades of red represent high amounts of precipitation.

On October 2nd and 3rd, 2016 NASA s precipitation rates. Areas in blue and purple are frozen precipitation, whereas areas in greens and reds are liquid precipitation. The data for October 2nd then fades away and the hurricane advances to October 3rd, stopping over Haiti. A new satellite pass of GPM GPROF ground precipitation is revealed, followed by a new curtain of 3-D DPR data. This visualization is the same as above except without colorbars and dates overlayed. (Useful for broadcasters who wish to organize the annotation layout differently.) Color bar for frozen precipitation rates (ie, snow rates). Shades of cyan represent low amounts of frozen precipitation, whereas shades of purple represent high amounts of precipitation. Color bar for liquid precipitation rates (ie, rain rates). Shades of green represent low amounts of liquid precipitation, whereas shades of red represent high amounts of precipitation.

On October 2, 2016 at approximately 4:50 a.m. EST (0950 UTC), NASA s precipitation rates. Areas in blue and purple are frozen precipitation, whereas areas in greens and reds are liquid precipitation. Color bar for frozen precipitation rates (ie, snow rates). Shades of cyan represent low amounts of frozen precipitation, whereas shades of purple represent high amounts of precipitation. Color bar for liquid precipitation rates (ie, rain rates). Shades of green represent low amounts of liquid precipitation, whereas shades of red represent high amounts of precipitation.