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Tropical Storm Arthur forms off the coast of Florida

By Scott Bachmeier •

GOES-16

GOES-16 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images, with and without an overlay of GLM Flash Extent Density [click to play animation | MP4]

1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-16 (GOES-East) “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images, with and without an overlay of GLM Flash Extent Density (above) showed the period leading up to the formation of Tropical Storm Arthur during the evening of 16 May 2020 (at 03 UTC on 17 May) — making it the first tropical cyclone of the season in the Atlantic Basin. There were periods of lightning activity within the elongated cluster of deep convection east of the storm center.

==== 17 May Update =====

GOES-16 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

During most of the day on 17 May, the low-level circulation center of Arthur was easily seen in 1-minute GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images (above).

The corresponding GOES-16 Infrared images — with and without an overlay of GLM Flash Extent Density — are shown below.

GOES-16 "Clean" Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images, with and without an overlay of GLM Flash Extent Density [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images, with and without an overlay of GLM Flash Extent Density [click to play animation | MP4]

===== 18 May Update =====

GOES-16 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

1-minute GOES-16 Visible images (above) showed that the low-level circulation center of Arthur became exposed during the day on 18 May. The center of Arthur passed very close to the Diamond Shoals buoy just off the coast of North Carolina (wind/pressure plot).

GOES-16  Visible images with plots of Metop ASCAT winds (below) revealed surface winds as high as 37 knots just east of the center of Arthur.

GOES-16 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm) images, with plots of Metop ASCAT winds [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images, with plots of Metop ASCAT winds [click to play animation | MP4]

Categories: GLM, GOES-16, Lightning, Metop, Satellite winds, Tropical cyclones