Scientists accurately predicted the path of Hurricane Floyd, shown here, with the help of data gathered by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. The improvement is especially apparent in tracking hurricanes. During the 1999 hurricane season, for example, experimental forecasts aided by satellite data correctly predicted the courses of Dennis and Floyd. Having additional information available from these weather forecast models has not only the obvious benefit of better short-term forecasts, but may also help shed additional light on the climate models. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite was launched to study precipitation that falls between 35 degrees north latitude and 35 degrees south latitude.
Tropical precipitation accounts for more than two-thirds of the rainfall on Earth.
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