5-minute CONUS Sector GOES-16 (GOES-East) Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm), Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm), Fire Mask (a component of the GOES Fire Detection and Characterization Algorithm FDCA) and Near-Infrared “Cloud Particle Size” (2.24 µm) images (above) displayed the thermal signatures associated with a storage facility fire — which was responsible for 1 fatality and 1 injury (media report) — near Detroit shortly after sunset on 04 March 2024. The highest 3.9 µm infrared brightness temperature was 33.11ºC at 0201 UTC.

With a thin layer of mid-level clouds moving across the region, the fire signature was somewhat attenuated — so the AWIPS Color Table Ranges were adjusted to better highlight the feature: 3.9 µm image max/min values were set to 40/-30, with the 1.61 µm and 2.24 µm image max/min values set to 50/0.

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GOES-16 (GOES-East) SO2 RGB images created using Geo2Grid (above) showed the volcanic cloud (lighter shades of cyan) resulting from an eruption of La Cumbre (Fernandina) in the Galápagos Islands on 03 March 2024. The thermal anomaly at the volcano summit — which first became apparent at 0550 UTC — appeared as clusters of darker blue pixels.

A comparison of False Color RGB images and retrieved Ash products from the NOAA/CIMSS Volcanic Cloud Monitoring site (below) indicated that this particular volcanic cloud was entirely SO2-dominated, with no signature of appreciable ash content.

GOES-16 True Color RGB images from the CSPP  GeoSphere site (below) showed the hazy signature of the volcanic cloud during the daytime hours (although bright sun glint off the ocean temporarily masked its appearance).

A hotspot #volcano erupted over the weekend – but not where many people were expecting. The #eruption of #Fernandina (#Galápagos Islands, #Ecuador) is producing high SO? emissions, similar to its prior eruptions in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

Data: @CopernicusEU #Sentinel5P #TROPOMI https://t.co/Cp1luoaQMo pic.twitter.com/yDkuU4gpfK

— Prof. Simon Carn (@simoncarn) March 5, 2024

===== 04 March Update =====

A longer animation of GOES-16 SO2 RGB images (above) showed that while the emission of a volcanic cloud continued into the following day, its areal coverage and SO2 concentration (inferred from the cloud’s color intensity in the RGB imagery) had diminished by the end of the day on 04 March. There was, however, notable dispersion of the SO2 cloud during the initial 24-hour period following the eruption.

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A toggle between Suomi-NPP VIIRS False Color RGB and True Color RGB images (above) displayed the areal extent of burn scars from the  Smokehouse Creek Fire and the Windy Deuce Fire — which began burning in the Texas Panhandle on 26 February, as discussed in this blog post — at 1955 UTC on 02 March 2024. Surface reports at that time were showing southwesterly winds with gusts of 30-35 knots at Pampa (KPPA) and Borger (KBGD).

GOES-16 (GOES-East) Ash RGB and Split Window Difference (10.3-12.3 µm) images (above) revealed a plume of ash (from burned vegetation and structures) that was being lofted from the burn scars by the strong SW winds — gusting as high as 41 knots or 47 mph at Borger, Texas — and transported across northwest Oklahoma to central Kansas. The ash plume (brighter shades of pink in Ash RGB and shades of yellow in the Split Window Difference imagery) passed over Gage, Oklahoma (KGAG), reducing the surface visibility to 7 miles at times; ceilometer data indicated that the base of the thicker ash layer aloft was in the 2000-4000 ft range (below).

GOES-18 (GOES-West) and GOES-16 (GOES-East) True Color RGB + Nighttime Microphysics RGB images from the CSPP GeoSphere site (below) showed the ash plume (which was mixed with some smoke) as it was transported across Oklahoma and Kansas. The plume appeared brighter in GOES-16 True Color imagery, due to enhanced forward scattering later in the day — but in GOES-18 True Color imagery, the ash plume exhibited a darker appearance because of the absence of forward scattering during the afternoon and early evening hours. After sunset, the plume exhibited shades of pink — and clusters of darker purple pixels denoted thermal signatures of fire activity.

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Imagery from the CSPP Geosphere site, above (link to animation), shows a curiously static low cloud (click here to see mp4 of cloud heights) separating from clouds along the southern shore of Lake Michigan and subsequently moving north. For several hours the cloud persists, until it moves under cirrus streaming in from the west, at which point it dissipates rapidly. The reason for its persistence and dissipation is left as an exercise for the reader.

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In the inbox, from a forecaster at WFO GRR: “…prescribed burns occurred on March 1st and 2nd in/near Indiana Dunes. At the end of the loop you can see the smoke plume from that area. Could that cloud feature have been something linked to the two burns the day prior?” The controlled burn locations are shown below. In addition to the smoke plume at the end of the animation above, there are several pixels — magenta — that could be hot spots at the start of the animation. (In reality, those pixels might also be industrial activity).

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