35-year anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald
48-hour simulated IR satellite imagery from the CRAS model (9-11 Nov 1975)
Today marks the 35-year anniversary of the powerful Great Lakes storm that was responsible for the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald (on 10 November 1975). Since the first operational geostationary weather satellites (SMS-1 and SMS-2) were relatively new back in 1975, the CIMSS Regional Assimilation System (CRAS) model was utilized to generate synthetic IR satellite images to provide an idea of what the satellite imagery might have looked like for this intense storm (CRAS model surface winds). A 48-hour sequence of synthetic IR images (above) shows the evolution of the model-derived cloud features at 1-hour intervals.
As part of the CIMSS involvement in GOES-R Proving Ground activities, CRAS synthetic forecast satellite imagery (IR and Water Vapor channels, below) is currently being made available in an AWIPS format for interested NWS forecast offices to add to their local AWIPS workstations (via LDM subscription). For more information, see the CRAS Imagery in D-2D site. VISIT training is also available on the topic.
CRAS forecast IR imagery in AWIPS
CRAS forecast water vapor imagery in AWIPS