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Hidden within and beneath
the swirling clouds on Earth's

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surface are different forms of
precipitation from drizzles,

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monsoons, hurricanes, to
blizzards.

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Now, with a new generation of
satellites, we can see through

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the clouds better than ever
before. NASA and the Japan

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Aerospace Exploration
Agency lead a constellation of

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satellites, called the
Global Precipitation Measurement

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mission, or GPM, that
measures all precipitation.

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One spacecraft, the GPM
Core Observatory, tunes the

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constellation to one consistent
note,

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like an oboe tuning
an orchestra.

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If we speed things up to around
two seconds per day, a seamless

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map of precipitation emerges
and patterns start to form.

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These patterns give us vital
information on where, when and

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how much precipitation moves
around the world and it's the

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most detailed and worldwide view
of falling rain and snow ever

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created. Red shows high
rainfall; yellow and green shows

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medium to low.

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Snow is shown in blues near the
top and bottom depending on the

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season.

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This is the first time it
can be measured globally.

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Around the Equator lies a
persistent band of the heaviest

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rainfall.

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The sun is most intense here and
causes more water to evaporate.

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The rich source of water
vapor in this region fuels many

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tropical storms, and feeds heavy
monsoon rainfall and tropical

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rainforests.

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GPM can also see the
driest places on Earth.

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Just above and below the
Equator, large-scale sinking air

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compresses and warms as it
falls, and thus hinders rain

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formation.

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These areas give rise to the
majority of the world's deserts.

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Smaller regional
events can also be seen.

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Scientists can follow the track
of an individual storm almost

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anywhere on the globe, and
monitor how it develops,

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evolves, and intensifies.

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Tracking storms is also
important to better understand

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and anticipate natural disasters
such as landslides and floods.

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For a more complete picture
of global precipitation, other

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parts of the climate system need
to be studied, like sea surface

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temperature.

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These temperatures and
precipitation are closely

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connected.

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When these temperatures change,
precipitation patterns tend to

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change as well; warm ocean
temperatures can cause more

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moisture-rich air to rise
and develop into rainstorms.

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Weather events aren't just
influenced by temperatures;

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winds also play a role.

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Winds can drive
where rainstorms move.

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But winds can also act
like a mixer stirring ocean

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temperatures.

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Everything in the atmosphere
is interconnected and with GPM

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observations, scientists can
analyze how different factors

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influence global precipitation
patterns in order to better

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manage our water resources and
predict and prepare for natural

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disasters.