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NASA is investigating key questions about hurricanes from the skies.

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This August, an unmanned aircraft is flying over East Pacific hurricanes.

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The new East Pacific Origins and Characteristics of Hurricanes, or EPOCH, mission will fly over developing tropical storms

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to investigate how they progress and intensify.

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Three instruments aboard the Global Hawk aircraft

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will map out 3-D patterns of temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, and wind speed.

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These measurements will help scientists better understand the processes that control storm intensity

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in cyclones around the world.

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Scientists also use models and other observations to investigate hurricane behavior.

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Satellites such as NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement Mission, or GPM, and computer models

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can analyze key stages of storm intensification.

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In September 2016, GPM captured Hurricane Matthew’s development from a Category 1 to Category 5 hurricane in 24 hours.

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Extreme rainfall was seen in several stages of the storm,

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causing significant flooding and landslides as Matthew passed Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

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Winds within the simulated storm reached 160 mph.

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GPM also observed the storm as the inner eyewall was replaced by a larger eyewall,

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causing Matthew to decrease in intensity before grazing the Eastern Florida Coast.

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Significant flooding was seen when Matthew made landfall in South Carolina.

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Combining model and observed data allows scientists to analyze storms like never before

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and better understand how hurricanes and other powerful storms can potentially impact society.

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