Data from the GPM Core Observatory will enable the first ever "CAT scans" from space of blizzards in the mid-latitudes where populations rely on snowpack for water resources and cities can be crippled by extreme snow storms.
Just like a doctor uses CAT scans and X-Rays to diagnose what is happening in the human body, scientists use GPM's measurements to diagnose the internal structures of precipitation.
By providing more accurate and frequent observations of rain and snow, GPM enables weather prediction centers to improve their forecasts.
GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation:
Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0