Cyclone Winston Slams Fiji (February 20, 2016)

This animation begins with NOAA Cloud Cover Composite (CPC) data that depicts Tropical Cyclone Winston barrelling towards the Fiji Islands. As the camera zooms in, GPM's GPROF data reveals surface rain rates. GPM's DPR 3D volumetric precipitation structure quickly dissolves in to show the entire precipitation structure of Winston. The camera then moves down to the side of the storm to show it's profile, revealing the height of Winston's massive precipitation structures. As the camera moves up and around, Winston is dissected, revealing the heavy precipitation structure surrounding the Cyclone's eye. The camera then finally pulls back, while Winston's outer precipitation structures are draped back over to get one final top down view of the Cyclone over Fiji.

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.

Print resolution view of Winston as it barrels toward the Fiji Islands.

Print resolution bird's eye view of Winston as it hits the Fiji Islands.

Print resolution side view of Winston showing the tall precipitation structures towering nearly 15 kilometers above sea level.

Print resolution image of Winston being bisected to reveal the heavy internal rain structure around the eye.

Print resolution still showing Winston's internal (heavy) precipitation structure around the cyclone eye.