As first hinted at in this blog post, the Community Satellite Processing Package for Geostationary Data (CSPP-Geo) (https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/csppgeo/ ) group at CIMSS has released a beta version of a unix-based package that computes LightningCast probabilities.  LightningCast (available online in real time for select regions) diagnoses the probability of a Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) observation of lightning within the next hour, given a suite of ABI Channels (Bands 2, 5, 13, 15, that is: 0.64 µm, 1.61 µm, 10.3 µm, 12.3 µm) or AHI Channels (Bands 3, 5, 13, 15; 0.64 µm, 1.61 µm, 10.4 µm, 12.3 µm).  Output is in the form of GeoJSON files, GR Placefiles, netCDF files (including AWIPS-compatible netCDFs), and imagery with lightning probability contours overlain on top (as shown above).  The software will also plot GLM Flash Extent Density fields if you have access to the gridded GLM fields (and CSPP Geo has a package that will create those if you don’t).  The package works on GOES-R CONUS/PACUS domains, or mesoscale domains, or within subsected regions of the Full Disk (provided the subsected region is smaller than about twice the size of the CONUS/PACUS domain).  The generated contours can also be parallax-corrected.

Access to the software does require a free log-in that supplies your email to the CSPP Geo team.  This email is used for follow-on support for things like updates and patches that might occur.  Download the package (from here) to a clean directory on your machine, un-tar it, and you’re ready to go.

The following (simple!) command, run in the directory created when the downloaded software package is un-tarred, created the image shown up top. Refer to the users’ manual for a complete set of commands. Note that the domain created — from 53^oW to 70^oW and 1^oN to 10^oN — is not available at the RealEarth instance.

./lightningcast --skip-geojson --make-dcp-image --ll-bbox -70.0 -53.0 1.0 10.0 /path_to_GOES16_Data/abi/L1b/RadF/*M6C02*s20242761420*

The software allows you (if you wish) to change the contour values from the defaults of 10/25/50/75. That is shown in the invocation that created the imagery beneath the code.

./lightningcast --skip-geojson --make-dcp-image --ll-bbox -70.0 -53.0 1.0 10.0 --probability-contours 1 2 5 50 90 --image-probability-colors "#00A5A5" "#00FFFF" "#00FF44" "#554400" "#FF1010"  /path_to_GOES16_Data/abi/L1b/RadF/*M6C02*s20242761420*

CSPP Geosphere imagery subsequent to the LightningCast Probabilities shown above is below. Where do you think lightning has occurred?

As noted above, the software package creates LightningCast probabilities with Himawari data as well, as along as you have access to Himawari HSD data. The following command created the imagery at the bottom. Note in all the invocations in the blog post that the file name specified resolves to one unique file. The software package will be able to resolve the other data needed from this one file name.

./lightningcast --skip-geojson --make-dcp-image --ll-bbox 110.0 130.0 -1.0 10.0   /path_to_HSD_Data/HS_H09_20241002_0500_B03_FLDK_R05_S0110.DAT

LightningCast software released is a beta version of the code. If you encounter unexpected behavior, please report it!

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NOAA and NASA recently released the first ABI (Advanced Baseline Imager) imagery from GOES-19. GOES-U was launched on June 25, 2024. The (Preliminary/Non-operational) GOES-19 ABI images on this page are from this very early stage. See the GOES-U launch as well the other GOES ABI monitored the rocket signature with rapid scan imagery), including the re-entry. GOES-19 is the final (fourth) in the GOES-R series and is currently located above the equator at approximately 90W. On October 1, 2024, NOAA declared the GOES-19 ABI to be at the beta stage. GOES-19 is slated to become NOAA’s operational GOES-East in early 2024 after going through extensive post-launch testing. A Satellite Liaison Blog post on early GOES-19 imagery. Also a post on the October 2, 2024 eclipse.

The above loop as an mp4. The ABI has 16 spectral bands, 2 in the visible, 4 in the near-infrared (or “near-visible”) and 10 in the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum. There are also ABI band “fact sheets” in Spanish and French. Also included in the animation are several band combinations shown as RGBs. A similar loop as above, but only showing the ABI channels.

Another Full Disk view of the 16 spectral bands on August 30, 2024 of the ABI, as an mp4.

The “low-level” water vapor band (10) is very important. A loop showing a low over northern North America. The loop is from 18 UTC on August 30, 2024 to 01:50 UTC on August 31, 2024. (The loop at a slower speed.)

Fog in the river valleys in Pennsylvania and New York can be seen in the ABI “red” visible band (2).

The Great Lakes region, from GOES-19 ABI band 3.

Northern South America on September 4, 2024 showing the CIMSS true color RGB.

A full disk loop over 24 hours.

Pacific NorthWest and Smoke and Fog.

ABI 16-Panel

The ABI has 16 spectral bands, 2 in the visible, 4 in the near-infrared (or “near-visible”) and 10 in the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum. GOES-19 image covering the contiguous United States collected by the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) in 16 spectral bands on September 30, 2024.  This 16-panel image shows the two visible, four near-infrared and 10 infrared channels on the ABI. The visible near-IR bands are gray-colored, while the infrared bands have the warmer brightness temperatures mapped to warmer colors. The different appearance of each band is due to how each band reflects or absorbs radiation.

The ABI scans two smaller meso-scale regions every 60 seconds, which provides 30-sec imagery if the regions overlap. These channels help forecasters and others distinguish phenomena such as clouds, water vapor, fires, smoke, dust, ice, land/sea surface temperatures and volcanic ash. The loop below shows fog/low clouds and smoke in southern California.

Also meso-scale sector of Hurricane Francine near the Gulf of Mexico. Note the imagery is every 30-seconds.

H/T

Thanks to the many (thousands) who made the GOES-19 ABI possible, including the instrument and spacecraft vendors. These GOES-19 ABI are early images (preliminary and non-operational, calibration improvements are possible. Both McIDAS-X and geo2grid software was used in generating these images, using data via the UW/SSEC Data Services. More about GOES-16 and GOES-18. T. Schmit works for NOAA/NESDIS/STAR, from Madison, Wisconsin.

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Data from the Flexible Combined Imager (FCI) on board MTG-I1 (Meteosat Third Generation), operating in parallel with Meteosat-10, with a sub-satellite point at 0^oN, 0^oE, shows the different cloud types associated with Kirk (which was deemed a hurricane at 2100 UTC on 1 October) in the tropical Atlantic. The Cloud Phase RGB (details), among other things, helps distinguish between ice/water clouds, and clouds with large/small particles. In the example above, blue clouds have large particle sizes (likely ice in this case) and cyan clouds have smaller ice particle sizes. The pink-hued clouds over the southeastern quadrant of the scene above are likely clouds with large water droplets. A zoomed-in view of that quadrant is shown below.

Many thanks to Jochen Kerkman, EUMETSAT, for forwarding along these animations. So beautiful!!

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CSPP Geosphere imagery, above, centered on LaCrosse, WI (the bluish thermal signal of the Mississippi River is also apparent) shows the development of brighter purple pixels starting at 0636 UTC. That change is perhaps easier to view in the slow stepped animation below. The changes in the RGB shows the initiation of a fire at a facility that recycles railroad ties (news link) in La Crosse. The initial small fire was in a shed before spreading to an adjacent mass of railroad ties.

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How did the Next Generation Fire System do with this event? That is shown below. The first detection — at 0646 UTC — appeared shortly before 0650 UTC. Once that alert has occurred, you can click on the triangle to have access to the created imagery, showing the first NGFS detection, and from there you can open a RealEarth instance (here, for this example) that includes all imagery.

NGFS microphysics imagery, below, shows very subtle color changes between 0631 and 0636 and 0641 UTC before the NGFS identification of a fire pixel at 0646 UTC.

The Night Microphysics animation at the top of this blog post includes the signal of a cloud band, and the signal of the fire is lost in that animation as the cloud band moves over La Crosse. A particular strength of NGFS fire detections is their persistence in the presence of clouds, as shown in the animation below from 0741 to 0806 UTC. The cloud signal is apparent in the NGFS microphysics, and the fire detection persists through the cloud band’s passage.

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