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Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies / University of Wisconsin-Madison
CIMSS Tropical Cyclone Team
Saharan Air Layer (SAL) - Product Description

Meteosat-8 Upper-Level Water Vapor Imagery:
 
Background: This product uses the 6.2µm channel on the Meteosat-8 satellite, which is sensitive to moisture in the middle to upper levels of the atmosphere.
 
Uses: The 6.2µm channel is useful for detecting moisture in the middle to upper troposphere and is typically most sensitive to moisture at ~400 hPa or ~7,500 m.
 
Notes:
• This channel is often not effective for tracking the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) because it detects moisture (or lack of) more effectively at levels above where the SAL is typically found (~500-850 hPa or 6,000-1,500 m).

 
For more SAL information, please visit the SAL Background Information page.
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