True- and False-color imagery over the Great Lakes
VIIRS True-Color (above) and False-Color (below) imagery (available as an LDM pull from CIMSS) over the western Great Lakes at 1753 UTC (NOAA-20), 1844 UTC (Suomi-NPP) and 1937 UTC (NOAA-20, again) show the recent expansion of late-winter snowcover into southern Wisconsin and northern Iowa. Additionally, ice over the lake (more easily differentiated from clouds in False-Color imagery because the use of the 2.25 µm band in the ‘red’ component of that RGB means that ice/snow acquire a cyan or blue coloring, whereas non-glaciated clouds are white) is apparent, especially near the shoreline.
True Color imagery exploits the presence of the 0.55 µm band (A true ‘green’ band) on VIIRS. Thus, relationships between red, blue and ‘veggie’ bands are not needed for the creation of a simulated green band to make a true color imagery.
VIIRS True- and False-color imagery is also available at the VIIRS Today website.