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Mesovortex over Lake Michigan

By Scott Bachmeier •

https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2017/03/170312_0740utc_suomi_npp_viirs_DayNightBand_rtma_surface_winds_Lake_Michigan_mesovortex_anim.gif

Suomi NPP VIIRS Day/Night Band (0.7 µm) image, with RTMA surface winds [click to enlarge]

** The GOES-16 data posted on this page are preliminary, non-operational data and are undergoing testing. **

A Suomi NPP VIIRS Day/Night Band (0.7 µm) image (above) revealed the formative stage of a mesoscale vortex over Lake Michigan at 0740 UTC or 2:40 AM Central time on 12 March 2017.

During the subsequent daylight hours, GOES-16 Visible (0.64 µm) images (below) showed the continued development and motion of the mesovortex.

GOES-16 Visible (0.64 µm) images, with hourly surface reports [click to play animation]

GOES-16 Visible (0.64 µm) images, with hourly surface reports [click to play animation]

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As was shown in a Tweet from NWS Marquette (above), beginning at 1741 UTC one of the GOES-16 Mesoscale Sectors was moved far enough northward to provide 1-minute imagery of the mesovortex (below; also available as an MP4 animation).

GOES-16 Visible (0.64 µm) images, with hourly surface reports [click to play animation]

GOES-16 Visible (0.64 µm) images, with hourly surface reports [click to play animation]

At South Haven, Michigan (KLWA), the surface visibility was reduced to 5 miles with light snow at 2014 UTC (below) as one of the more well-defined cloud elements associated with the mesovorex moved inland over that location.

Time series plot of South Haven, Michigan surface observations [click to enlarge]

Time series plot of South Haven, Michigan surface observations [click to enlarge]

Categories: GOES-16, Suomi NPP, VIIRS, Winter weather