Studying Atmospheric Rivers

From NASA:

This month NASA is supporting a multiagency field campaign to study atmospheric rivers using aircraft, boats and spacecraft. Atmospheric rivers are tropical moisture flows over the Pacific Ocean that can bring heavy rains and snow to the West Coast. NASA's ER-2 aircraft, based at Armstrong Flight Research Center, will fly at 65,000 feet carrying four instruments that measure clouds, airborne water, and microscopic airborne particles (aerosols). In addition, the ISS-RapidScat instrument onboard the International Space Station will provide observations of wind speed and direction. CalWater 2015's research team includes the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, the U.S. Department of Energy, Colorado State University, and NOAA.

Learn more about CalWater via NOAA:http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/calwater/

Details about NASA's ER-2 and ISS-RapidScat participation: http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/nasa-aircraft-spacecraft-aid-atmospheric-river-study/