1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-16 (GOES-East) “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images (above) displayed the exposed low-level circulation of Invest 90L, in the Atlantic Ocean (about 150 miles northeast of Bermuda, TXKF) on 21 May 2021.

GOES-16 Visible images with plots of Visible Derived Motion Winds (below) revealed a few wind speeds of 50 knots or greater (red wind barbs) within its northwest quadrant — but since no organized and sustained deep convection remained in close proximity to the low-level circulation, Invest 90L was not yet considered to be a tropical cyclone.

===== 22 May Update =====

During the overnight hours, convection organized and intensified around the low-level circulation of Invest 90L — and as of 0900 UTC it was classified as Subtropical Storm Ana. GOES-16 Infrared images of Ana are shown above.

A closer view of GOES-16 Visible images (below) indicated that the center of Ana eventually stopped moving southwestward toward Bermuda, performed a counterclockwise loop, then began moving to the northeast.

GOES-16 Visible images with plots of Derived Motion Winds (below) indicated that the maximum near-surface wind speeds were 39 knots.

An overpass of Metop-A at 1219 UTC provided ASCAT surface scatterometer winds centered on Ana (above), with a maximum speed value of 31 knots just northwest of the storm center. In general, Visible GOES-16 Derived Motion Wind speed values were around 5 knots faster than nearby ASCAT winds (below) — since the former are computed by tracking cloud targets that are above the surface, where winds speeds are greater (due to a lack of surface friction).

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1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-17 (GOES-West) Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) and “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images along with 5-minute GOES-16 (GOES-East) Fire Power and Fire Temperature products (above) displayed thermal characteristics and the smoke plume associated with the Cherrywood Fire in southern Nevada on 20 May 2021. The maximum 3.9 µm brightness temperature sensed was 138.7ºC — which is the saturation temperature for the ABI Band 7 detectors. The peak Fire Power values exceeded 4000 MW.

A toggle between NOAA-20 VIIRS Shortwave Infrared (3.74 µm) and True Color RGB images at 2014 UTC (overpass times) is shown below.

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GOES-16 (GOES-East) True Color RGB images created using Geo2Grid (above) showed the growth of numerous large smoke plumes created by wildfires across parts of Manitoba and Ontario on 18 May 2021. A “pyrocumulus jump” was seen in Manitoba (just south of Lake Winnipeg) just after 00 UTC.

Early in the day, a significant amount of ice coverage was apparent in the northern portion of Lake Winnipeg (before becoming obscured by dense smoke plumes). In addition, a line of thunderstorms developed across Saskatchewan and Montana ahead of an approaching cold front.

===== 19 May Update =====

In a toggle between Suomi NPP VIIRS Shortwave Infrared and Day/Night Band images at 0811 UTC or 3:11 AM CDT on 19 May (above), the thermal signature of the large fire between Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg was obscured by a narrow patch of cloudiness, but the bright signature of active fires still burning along the periphery of the original wildfire burn area was apparent in the Day/Night Band image.

The GOES-16 Aerosol Optical Depth product (below) highlighted a plume of smoke aloft — originating from the Manitoba/Ontario fires — moving southward across Quebec, Canada and the Northeast US during the subsequent daytime hours. AOD values were as high as 1.0 within the plume.

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US Space Force EWS-G1 Infrared (10.7 µm) images (above) showed Cyclone Tauktae in the Arabian Sea (just off the west coast of India) as it intensified from a Category 1 to a Category 3 storm on 16 May 2021.

A DMSP-18 SSMIS Microwave (85 GHz) image from the CIMSS Tropical Cyclones site (below) revealed a fully enclosed eye at 1142 UTC, shortly before Tauktae reached Category 3 intensity at 12 UTC.

===== 17 May Update =====

EWS-G1 Infrared images (above) showed Cyclone Tauktae making landfall along the coast of India around 1745 UTC on 17 May, with a Category 3 intensity (ADT | SATCON).

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