The 2015 Wildfire Season is off to a quick start in Alaska (continuing an observed trend). This map (from this site) shows more than 300 active fires over Alaska at 2000 UTC on 29 June 2015. This graph (from the Alaska Climate Info Facebook page) compares early burn acreage in 2015 to that in 2004... Read More

Advisories on Tropical Storm Bill were initiated when the system organized and intensified off the coast of Texas at 03 UTC on 16 June 2015 (GOES-13 IR image animation). Bill moved inland during the afternoon hours on 16 June, as can be seen in a comparison of Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.64 µm visible channel and 11.45... Read More

An explosion occurred along a natural gas pipeline near Lindenau, Texas just after 01 UTC on 15 June 2015 (8:00 pm local time on 14 June). The thermal signature or “hot spot” of the resulting fire was detected on both GOES-15 (GOES-West) and GOES-13 (GOES-East)  3.9 µm shortwave IR imagery... Read More

GOES-14, in SRSO-R mode, captured the quick development of severe thunderstorms over northern Illinois late in the afternoon on 10 June 2015. Many of these storms produced large hail — especially in Will County and in Grundy County, where the second largest hailstone on record for the state of Illinois was measured (NWS Chicago summary). This... Read More