Severe thunderstorms in Arizona

By Scott Bachmeier • 2 August 2018

Visible images from GOES-15 (0.63 µm, left), GOES-17 (0.64 µm, center) and GOES-16 (0.64 µm, right), with SPC storm reports plotted in red [click to play animation | MP4]

* GOES-17 images shown here are preliminary and non-operational *

GOES-15 (GOES-West), GOES-17 and GOES-16 (GOES-East) Visible images (above) showed the development of thunderstorms which produced hail and damaging winds (SPC storm reports) in the Phoenix, Arizona area on 02 August 2018. The images are displayed in the native projection of each satellite (no re-mapping). Due to a Full Disk scan, GOES-15 mages were only available every 30 minutes at the beginning of this particular time period; images from GOES-17 were every 5 minutes; a GOES-16 Mesoscale Domain Sector provided images at 1-minute intervals.

The strong thunderstorm winds also produced significant blowing dust — winds gusted to 47 knots (54 mph) and visibility was reduced to 1/2 mile at Phoenix KPHX (below). Winds gusted to 53 knots (61 mph) and visibility fell to 1/4 mile at Chandler KCHD.

Time series of surface observations for Phoenix, Arizona [click to enlarge]

Categories: Air quality, GOES-15, GOES-16, GOES-17, Severe convection