VISIT: Meteorological Interpretation Blog

Look at the following three images from the TERRA (EOS AM-1) satellite and the plotted image from the QuickSCAT satellite (courtesy NASA TERRA project - http://terra.nasa.gov/) and try to determine: 1. What is going on around the Big Island (first photo - top)? 2. Which side of the islands tend to get more precipitation and how can you tell and why? 3. Generally, from which direction does the prevailing (low level) wind blow (second and third photos)? 4. Where the convergence zones (boundaries) lie and why (first, second and third photos)? 5. Why the “silvery” look to the ocean surrounding the islands (second and third photos)? 6. Why/how do you get the accelerations around the outside of and between the islands (plotted image four - bottom) and how/why do these lead to convergence between?

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This is some great stuff from the CIMSS bunch at the University of Wisconsin.  Read the following message sent March 21, 2008 and click the accompanying link to go to their satellite blog.  

“MODIS images showing the extent of river flooding in the central US have been posted on our CIMSS Satellite Blog:

   http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/archives/628

Unfortunately, since AWIPS is restricted to 8-bit displays, it cannot create the type of beautiful 24-bit “true color” or “false color” images that are shown in the blog entry; however, a simple comparison of the MODIS Band

1 (visible) and Band 7  (”snow/ice”) channels can get you part of the way there in helping to determine which rivers in your CWA are experiencing significant flooding.”

Presented by Don Moore, from the NOAA/NWS WFO in Billings, MT, his presentation titled “Use of Satellite Data at National Weather Service Forecast Offices” has both great foresight and hindsight in the use of GOES data for operational use at the NWS Weather Forecast Offices. 

Satellite data, particularly from GOES, has long been an important tool for weather forecasters in the National Weather Service to better identify and track mesoscale features that play an important role in high impact weather. Also very important to forecasters is the ability to use satellite to assess model performance, which can have implications on short term and medium range forecasts. The greater spatial and temporal resolution of future GOES, along with new channels, will provide an even greater ability to monitor mesoscale features and assess model performance. It will also allow forecasters to use GOES in ways that are not be currently done. This includes understanding the spatial distribution of temperatures in complex terrain, which is critical when providing mesoscale and microscale forecasts for wildfire support. This presentation will review some common ways in which GOES is being used by National Weather Service forecasters. However, the bulk of the presentation will discuss the current uses of MODIS’s higher resolution imagery by the National Weather Service to better understand weather conditions impacting wildfires.

Please click here http://ams.confex.com/ams/88Annual/techprogram/paper_135915.htm to go to Don’s recorded presentation given at the 5th GOES Users Conference in January 2008.