Upper level wind analysis from GOES water vapor winds


Robert Rabin

NOAA/NSSL and UW-Madison/CIMSS

BACKGROUND

Winds are estimated from the automated satellite winds algorithm developed at the Cooperative Instutute of Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS), University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Sequences of three GOES-13 images (6.7 microns), separated by 30 minutes, are used to compute winds.

Most of the products shown here cover the U.S. CONUS and surrounding areas. 
 
Analyses available from the selections below include background water vapor imagery with user selectable overlays of:

1. Wind vectors and associated mid-layer pressure levels (based on the observed radiance and vertical weighting function):

        black: 100-250 mb,  cyan: 251-350 mb,  yellow 351-500 mb

2. Objectively analyzed fields at 300 hPa (based on available wind vectors and background field from global forecast model GFS):

 Java based applications used for interactive animations were developed by Tom Whittaker of the Space Science and Engineering Center  SSEC, University of Wisconsin-Madison.  The animations can take a while to load, depending on network speed, computer systems, etc. Also, there can be a problem viewing these on certain machines (Macs).
REAL TIME DATA

 

Most Recent Analysis


 Wind Vectors
 Divergence (300mb)
 Vorticity (300mb)
 Speed (300mb)
GOES Winds X
 X
 X
 X
GUESS (GFS)
X
 X
 X

Interactive Loops: Previous 3 hours (30 minute intervals)
 
Most Recent Analysis
 Winds, divergence, relative vorticity, isotachs
Satellite analysis versus GFS (first guess)
Satellite analysis versus RUC-2
 Divergence 
 Divergence 
 Relative Vorticity 
 Relative Vorticity 
 Wind Speed 
 Wind Speed 

 
Long Interactive Loops: Caution: The following interactive loops demand a large amount computer memory & high speed data links
0015-1200 UTC
1200-2345 UTC
WV imagery
 X
 
X
Wind vectors
 X
 X
Divergence (500mb)
 X
 X
 
Vorticity (500 mb)
 X
 X
Speed (500 mb)
 
X 
 X 
GFS Divergence
 X
 X
GFS Vorticity
 X
 X
GFS Speed
 X X
RUC Divergence
 X
 X
RUC Vorticity
 X
 X
RUC Speed
 X
 X


 


References:

Rabin, R. M., S. F. Corfidi, J. C. Brunner, C. E Hane, 2004: Detecting winds aloft from water vapor satellite imagery in the vicinity of storms. Weather, 59, 251-257. Click here

Rabin, R.M., J. Brunner, C. Hane, J. Haynes: Water vapor winds in vicinity of convection and winter storms. P3.4. 11th Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, 15-18 October 2001, Madison, WI.  To view the extended abstract (as a pdf file) Click here.

        A more complete manuscript including an analysis of several convective cases is available by clicking here .
 

Links:

    Global winds: For real-time and archived data and more information on the satellite winds program at CIMSS see the "Tropical Cyclones Homepage":  Click here

Disclaimer. The products from GOES or other satellites shown here are experimental. These have been generated within a research environment and are not intended to be considered operational. Timeliness, availability, and accuracy are sought but not guaranteed.

Return to CIMSS (UW-Madison) or  NSSL (NOAA/NSSL).
Last update was 09 February 2016. Feedback.