Beavertails are ephemeral cloud features that form in the inflow of supercell thunderstorms. They are horizontally long and roughly parallel to the inflow warm front. Its appearance (and presence) is affected by and influences inflow into the storm, and by inference, it affects radar returns. That is — a change... Read More

‘Orphan anvils’ typically will develop before and just as a cap that prevents convective development breaks down. They can therefore be a precursor to strong thunderstorm development. The animation above shows an orphan anvil just before strong convection (Storm Reports) develops over south-central Nebraska. The anvil development is obvious in the... Read More

Suomi NPP overflew Hurricane Blanca early in the morning on 4 June, during a near-full Moon, and the Day Night Band imagery, above, toggled with the 11.35 µm imagery, show the hurricane. (Day/night band imagery of the eye is here, the entire storm is here, and zoomed out is here;... Read More