Category Archives: GOES

Questions and answers regarding the GOES satellites and their programs.

Smoky in the Northeast U.S.

Over the past week, the northeastern United States was inundated with smoke that was produced from fires raging in the Canadian province of Quebec. On the backside (i.e., west side) of a lingering upper-level low, wildfire smoke transported hundreds of miles southward … Continue reading

Posted in Fire Weather, GOES, POES, Satellites, VIIRS | Leave a comment

How far north can we see sun glint in GOES satellite imagery?

By Bernie Connell and Erin Sanders Sun glint is an optical phenomenon that can be seen in visible and near-IR satellite imagery over water features such as ocean, lakes, and rivers.  Its presence depends on the geometry between Sun, Earth, … Continue reading

Posted in GOES, Satellites | Leave a comment

CIRA Snow/Cloud Layer Product & VIIRS observations of the 12 Feb 2020 Blowing Snow Event

By Ed Szoke and Jorel Torres On 12 Feb 2020 a strong cold front pushed southward across the Northern Plains and Midwest bringing dramatically colder temperatures and howling northerly winds, creating widespread blowing snow and blizzard conditions during the daytime … Continue reading

Posted in GOES, POES, Satellites, Winter Weather | Leave a comment

JPSS/GOES Fire Detection Capabilities – Swan Lake Fire, AK

The Swan Lake Fire, located in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, south of Anchorage, AK initiated in June 2019 due to lightning. Over the past few months, the fire has steadily grown, and as of 20 August 2019, more than 130,000 … Continue reading

Posted in Fire Weather, GOES, POES, Satellites | Leave a comment

Nighttime Fog Monitoring

Satellite fog monitoring during the nighttime can be a challenge since geostationary datasets are limited to infrared imagery. However, with the new GOES-16/17 and JPSS datasets users can employ polar-orbiting and geostationary imagery to identify and monitor areas of fog … Continue reading

Posted in Aviation Weather, Fog, GOES, POES, Satellites, Visibility | Leave a comment