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Full catalog/TRMM_3H31
TRMM_3H31·v7·dataset

Monthly heat released by rainstorms (TRMM)

TRMM TMI/PR Combined Convective Stratiform Heating L3 1 month 0.5 degree x 0.5 degree V7 (TRMM_3H31) at GES DISC
atmosphere NASA GES_DISC Level 3
In plain English

What it measures. Monthly maps of the heat released into the atmosphere by rainstorms, separated into heat from towering convective storms and from broader, gentler rain layers.

How it's made. Produced by combining rainfall measurements from the TRMM satellite's microwave imager and precipitation radar, gridded into half-degree monthly averages.

How & where you'd use it. Mainly a research input for understanding how rain warms the atmosphere and drives weather and climate patterns in the tropics.

What's measured

ATMOSPHERE › PRECIPITATION

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span1998-01-01 → 2015-03-31
  • Measured byTRMM (PR, TMI)
  • Processing levelLevel 3
  • Spatial extent-180, -37, 180, 37
  • StatusCOMPLETE

What you can do with it

  • Map air pollutants — NO₂, aerosols, ozone
  • Track greenhouse gases and Earth's energy budget
  • Feed weather and air-quality analysis
Official description

3H31, "Monthly Convective Stratiform Heating from Combined", produces 0.5 deg x 0.5 deg monthly apparent heating profiles from surface convective rainfall rate and surface stratiform rainfall rate. The PI is Dr. Wei-Kuo Tao. The granule size is one month.

Get the data

trmm_3h31_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="TRMM_3H31",
    version="7",
    bounding_box=(-122.5, 37.2, -121.8, 37.9),  # your area (W,S,E,N)
    temporal=("2024-01-01", "2024-12-31"),       # your dates
)
files = earthaccess.open(results)   # stream straight from GES_DISC
Browsing CMR needs no login. Downloading or streaming bytes needs a free Earthdata Login + the earthaccess package.