The GPM core observatory satellite measured rainfall occurring at over 60 mm (2.4 inches) per hour near Tropical Cyclone Marcia's center on Feb. 17 at 2251 UTC.

Image Credit: NASA/JAXA

Tropical Cyclone Marcia is threatening eastern Queensland, Australia and NASA satellites and instruments have been providing forecasters with data on rainfall, cloud extent and temperature and winds speed.

On Feb. 17 at 22:51 UTC (5:51 p.m. EST) when NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Global Precipitation Measurement or GPM core observatory satellite passed over Marcia, it measured rainfall rates. An analysis from GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) data showed that rain was dropping at a rate of over 60 mm (2.4 inches) per hour near the forming tropical cyclone's center.

This visible image of Tropical Cyclone Marcia was captured by NASA's Terra satellite on Feb. 19, 2015 at 00:10 UTC when it neared the Queensland coast.

Image Credit:NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

The International Space Station's RapidScat instrument captured a look at Tropical Cyclone Marcia's winds as it neared eastern Queensland. RapidScat measured the winds from Feb. 18 at 00:08 UTC to 1:40 UTC and measurements revealed sustained winds to 56 mph/90 kph/25 meters per second, occurring near the center and southeastern quadrant of the storm.

By Thursday, Feb. 19, Tropical Cyclone Marcia had moved near the east coast of Queensland, Australia triggering warnings. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (ABM) noted on Feb. 19, "Severe tropical cyclone Marcia moving south-southwest, category 5 forecast at landfall this morning." The Warning Zone extended from Mackay to Double Island Point, extending inland to Blackwater, Moura, Biloela, Monto, Taroom, Mundubbera, and Murgon. For more information from ABM:http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml

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NASA's Many Views of Australia's Tropical Cyclone Marcia