Marine weather « CIMSS Satellite Blog

Upwelling of cold water along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan

September 7th, 2011

Comparison of 8-day average MODIS SST (left) and 07 September MODIS SST (right)

A comparison of the MODIS 8-day average Sea Surface Temperature (SST) ending on 06 September 2011 (above, left) with the MODIS SST product on 07 September 2011 (above, right) revealed a dramatic cooling of the near-shore waters just off the east coastline of Lake Michigan. Persistent strong northerly daytime winds (gusting in the 20-30 mph range) induced an upwelling of colder water from below the surface, with 07 September values as cold as 6.8ºC (44ºF) at one location (Latitude/Longitude 43.63 North/81.96 West) — compared to the previous 8-day average SST of 22.8ºC (73ºF) at that same location. Unfortunately, the MODIS Cloud Mask that is applied to the SST product mistakenly identifies the strongest SST gradient as a cloud, and blanks out the SST product along the far western fringe of the ribbon of colder water.

AWIPS images of MODIS 0.65 µm visible channel and 11.0 µm IR channel data (below) showed greater detail in the ribbon of colder waters, with a series of eddies forming along the northern edge of the feature. Since no Cloud Mask is applied to the IR image, the full westward extent of the cold water feature can be seen.

MODIS 0.65 µm visible channel and 11.0 µm IR channel images

A sequence of four MODIS 11.0 µm IR images (below) shows the evolution of the eddy features along the western edge of the cold water. Note that the land surfaces exhibit cool IR brightness temperatures (blue to cyan color enhancement) on the first 2 night-time images (03:10 UTC and 07:21 UTC, or 10:10 pm and 2:21 am local time), but on the 2 daytime images (16:45 UTC and 18:27 UTC, or 11:45 am and 1:27 pm local time) urban areas and regions with less dense vegetation heat up and exhibit much warmer IR brightness temperatures (orange to red color enhancement). However, the Lake Michigan IR brightness temperatures generally remain constant during this time period.

MODIS 11.0 µm IR images

CIMSS participation in GOES-R Proving Ground activities includes making a variety of MODIS images and products available for National Weather Service offices to add to their local AWIPS workstations. Currently there are 49 NWS offices receiving MODIS imagery and products from CIMSS. In addition, the VISIT training lesson “MODIS Products in AWIPS” is available to help users understand these products and their applications to weather analysis and forecasting.

Posted in General interpretation, GOES-R, Marine weather, MODIS | No Comments »

Upper Midwest Derecho, and a Seiche in southern Lake Michigan

July 11th, 2011

GOES-13 10.7 µm IR images (click image to play animation)

AWIPS images of GOES-13 10.7 µm IR data (above; click image to play animation) showed the progression of two long-lived Mesoscale Convective Systems (or “derechos”) on 11 July 2011 — one moving southeastward from the Dakotas and Minnesota, and another moving northeastward from Nebraska. These two MCS features were responsible for a large number of severe weather reports (SPC: 10 July reports | 11 July reports).

Note the elongated band of cirrus that developed behind the departing MCS feature, curving across parts of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado toward the end of the IR image animation above — this striated cloud band marked the location of a well-defined deformation zone. Areas of light to moderate turbulence aloft are often present in association with such deformation zones, as was seen by the number of pilot reports overlaid on a GOES-13 6.5 µm water vapor channel image at 17:45 UTC (below).

GOES-13 6.5 µm water vapor channel image + pilot reports of turbulence

The GOES-13 sounder Total Precipitable Water (TPW) derived product (below; click image to play animation) showed that abundant moisture (TPW values of 50-60 mm or 2.0 to 2.4 inches, violet color enhancement) was in place ahead of the storms as they moved rapidly eastward.

GOES-13 sounder Total Precipitable Water product (click to play animation)

A closer view of GOES-13 10.7 µm IR images with overlays of the Automated Overshooting Top Detection product (below; click image to play animation) revealed a number of overshooting tops, with the minimum cloud top IR brightness temperature of -81ºC occurring over eastern Iowa at 09:45 UTC. The overshooting tops were very evident after sunrise on GOES 0.63 µm visible channel imagery, as they cast shadows upon the thunderstorm anvil tops below (11:45 UTC visible image + overshooting top detection product comparison).

GOES-13 10.7 µm IR images + Overshooting Top Detection (click to play animation)

A set of three comparisons of 1-km resolution POES AVHRR 10.8 µm IR images with their corresponding 4-km resolution GOES-13 10.7 µm IR images (below) demonstrated the value of improved spatial resolution for more accurate detection of the location and magnitude of the coldest cloud tops on severe thunderstorms. On the 08:22 UTC, 08:47 UTC, and 11:37 UTC POES AVHRR images, the coldest cloud top IR brightness temperatures were -84ºC, -90ºC, and -85ºC, respectively (the coldest GOES-13 IR brightness temperatures were -78ºC for all three of those times). Note that the apparent northwestward displacement of cloud features on the GOES-13 images is a result of parallax error due to the large viewing angle from the geostationary satellite.

1-km resolution POES AVHRR 10.8 µm IR and 4-km resolution GOES-13 10.7 µm IR images

Very strong surface winds were observed along and in the wake of the well-defined bow echo seen on radar — peak wind gusts included 74 mph at Dubuque, Iowa, 75 mph at Chicago Midway Airport, and 85 mph at Michigan City, Indiana. These strong winds created a seiche across southern Lake Michigan (Seiche Warning | NWS Chicago event summary), with oscillations in water levels seen at Calumet Harbor, Illinois, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Holland, Michigan.

Posted in AVHRR, Aviation, GOES sounder, GOES-13, Marine weather, POES, Severe convection | No Comments »

Possible development of a subtropical or a tropical disturbance in the Atlantic Ocean?

April 20th, 2011

MIMIC Total Precipitable Water (TPW) product

The National Hurricane Center initiated Invest 91 to monitor the potential development of a subtropical or even possibly a tropical cyclone over the western Atlantic Ocean on 20 April 2011. AWIPS images of the MIMIC Total Precipitable Water (TPW) product (above; click image to play animation) showed that a tongue of moisture was being advected northward from the band of higher moisture along the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) — and this moisture plume was being wrapped into the circulation of the developing disturbance.

A closer look at the MIMIC TPW product at 14:00 UTC along with an overlay of ASCAT scatterometer winds (below) revealed a well-defined cyclonic circulation at the surface, with gale force winds within the northwest quadrant of the storm.

MIMIC TPW product + ASCAT surface winds + Surface analysis

===== 22 APRIL UPDATE =====

GOES-13 0.63 µm visible channel images

Animations of GOES-13 0.63 µm visible channel images (above) and GOES-13 10.7 µm IR channel images (below) from the CIMSS Tropical Cyclones site continued to show very well-defined cyclonic circulations associated with the feature on 22 April 2011.

GOES-13 10.7 µm IR images

GOES-13 6.5 µm water vapor channel images (below) indicated that dry mid-tropospheric air was wrapping into the system from the south and east.

GOES-13 6.5 µm water vapor channel images

A comparison of AWIPS images of the POES AVHRR 0.86 µm visible channel with ASCAT scatterometer surface wind data (below) revealed the development of deep convective elements just to the north of the low-level circulation center.

POES AVHRR 0.86 µm visible image + ASCAT scatterometer surface winds

A sequence of three POES AVHRR 0.86 µm visible channel images (below) showed the evolution of the convective elements associated with the disturbance during the day.