See LARGE [1.4 mb] Rainfall accumulation from July 3-8 2005 See SMALLER [.24 mb] QUICKTIME ANIMATION of accumulation See MEDIUM [.7 mb] MPEG ANIMATION of accumulation

After coming shore near Grand Isle, Louisiana on the night of 5 July 2005, Tropical Storm Cindy quickly weakened into a depression and moved off to the northeast across southern Mississppi, central Alabama, northern Georgia and into the Midatlantic region. One of the main objectives of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite is to provide estimates of rainfall over the Tropics. The TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center provides estimates of rainfall over the global Tropics. MPA rainfall totals associated with the passage of Cindy are shown for the period 3 to 8 July 2005 with storm symbols denoting Cindy's track. The highest totals are initially to the right of the storm track, which is consistent with the asymmetric rain field wherein the bulk of the rain was mainly east of the storm center. Maximum rainfall amounts along the coast and immediately inland are just over 6 inches (orange areas), which is consistent with local radar estimates. Cindy merged with a frontal system over central Alabama and moved steadily northeast ahead over an upper-level trough centered over the eastern half the US. The steady forward motion helped to keep rainfall totals down as evident by rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches (green areas) or less (blue areas) along Cindy's path across the southeast US.

With tropical storm Cindy coming ashore in Louisiana and Dennis gaining strength in the Caribbean, the 2005 hurricane season is off to a very fast start, becoming the first time four named storms have occurred so early in the season.

Tropical Storm Cindy developed into a depression on the 3rd of July 2005 in the far northwestern Caribbean just off of the Yucatan peninsula. The center quickly moved over land, inhibiting its developement. Since its launch back in the fall of 1997, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (or TRMM) satellite has been providing valuable images and information on tropical cyclones around the Tropics. This first image was taken at 08:25 UTC (3:25 am CDT) on the 4th of July as Cindy was coming ashore over the Yucatan. The image shows the horizontal distribution of rain intensity (top down view) as viewed by the TRMM satellite. Rain rates in the center swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR), and rain rates in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI). The rain rates are overlaid on infrared (IR) data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS). The center of Cindy falls within the TMI swath in this image. TRMM shows Cindy to be rather poorly-organized at this time. No eye is visible, and rainrates are mainly weak (blue areas). The main area of rain is oriented north-south and is east of the center just offshore.

After crossing the Yucatan, Cindy emerged into the Gulf of Mexico and strengthened, becoming a strong tropical storm on the evening of the 5th with sustained winds of 60 knots (69 mph) as reported by the National Hurricane Center. The storm moved steadily northward around the western edge of a midlevel ridge over Florida and made landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana around midnight LST with sustained winds near 70 mph. The final image was taken at 01:40 UTC on the 6th (8:40 pm CDT on the 5th) of July just before Cindy made landfall. Again the center of Cindy falls within the TMI swath and is hard to distinquish. A few isolated areas of heavy rain (red areas) are present over southeastern Louisiana, but the majority of the rain is east of the center (blue area east of Louisiana).

TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).