Heavy rains pounded the Southern Plains of the United States during mid-June when moisture from the Gulf of Mexico streamed northward into a slow-moving frontal system. The result was extensive flooding over parts of Texas and Oklahoma. On Monday, June 18, 2007, six flood-related deaths were reported in northern Texas as storms dumped up to 8 inches (abut 200 millimeters) of rain in the area. On Tuesday, additional storms dumped heavy rains over parts of northwestern Oklahoma, forcing several road closures, said news reports.
This image shows rainfall totals for June 14 through June 20, 2007. The rainfall totals are from the near-real-time, Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA), which is based on measurements taken by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. The MPA analysis indicates that during this time more than 200 millimeters (about 8 inches, red area) of rain fell in northern Texas just south of the Oklahoma border, where flooding was reported. A much broader area of at least 150 to 200 millimeters (about 6 to 8 inches) of rain covers most of northwest Oklahoma. Based on these totals, the TRMM team predicted that flooding was likely or occurring. The group produces a global map indicating where there is a high potential for flooding based on rainfall totals.
TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency, JAXA.
Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Hal Pierce and Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC).
