As discussed in this blog post, GOES-16 (GOES-East) Dust RGB images (above) displayed the distinct signature of a large blowing dust plume (brighter shades magenta/pink) that initially developed over drought-stricken areas of eastern Colorado and far western Kansas on 15 January 2021. Surface wind gusts in excess of 60 knots were seen in eastern Colorado near the source of the dust plume, with a peak gust of 63 knots or 72 mph — in fact, the anomalously-strong 925 hPa wind speeds were 5-6 sigma above the climatological mean (source). Pilot reports near the edges of the plume indicated visibility restrictions due to dust at altitudes of 5,000 feet over southwestern Kansas and 10,000 feet over northeastern New Mexico.

GOES-16 True Color RGB and Dust RGB images (created using Geo2Grid) are shown below.

Due to the presence of very dry throughout the lower/middle troposphere (Amarillo, Texas rawinsonde data), a signature of the dust plume was also evident in GOES-16 Near-Infrared “Cirrus” (1.37 µm) images (below).

After sunset, the plume signature persisted in GOES-16 Dust RGB images (below) as the blowing dust continued to move southeastward across Texas.

===== 16 January Update =====

On the following day, the dust plume began to flow off the Texas coast and over the Gulf of Mexico by 06 UTC — and although the plume signature began to diminish in the GOES-16 Dust RGB images after sunrise, it was very apparent in True Color RGB imagery (above). Note that the True Color images revealed some recirculation of dust which began to move inland toward the end of the day, as surface winds near the coast shifted to southeasterly (surface analyses).

GOES-16 Natural Color RGB images with plots of Ceiling and Visibility (below) showed that the dust reduced the visibility to 2.5 miles at a site located just off the Texas coast at 14 UTC, and to 5 miles at a site located about 100 miles offshore at 15 UTC.

In a toggle between VIIRS True Color and False Color RGB images from Suomi NPP (below), the dust plume was very evident over the Gulf of Mexico (where its lighter appearance stood out against the dark background of the water).

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The High Plains of Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas experienced a significant dust storm (with Dust Storm Warnings issued) on 15 January 2021, (Click here for a blog post on the blowing dust with this storm on 14 January) associated with a strong jet streak and extratropical cyclone discussed here. The animation above (Here’s the same animation, but slower) shows visible imagery along with GOES-16 Mesoscale Sector Derived Motion Winds from the Visible Channel. These derived winds are available with a 5-minute cadence, and the dust was thick enough that features could be tracked. There aren’t a lot of derived winds; how well do these derived winds compare to surface winds?

The image above, from 1900 UTC, shows Derived Motion winds along with METAR observations. Derived Motion winds are stronger than surface winds, as expected; compare, for example, the observations at Limon CO (KLIC) with the nearby derived wind vectors. The levels of the derived motion winds are between 800-820 hPa, away from the effects of friction/surface roughness. However, they do give a nice estimate of what surface winds might be in regions without surface observations, as apparent in the animation at the top.

It can be difficult to view dust with just one ABI channel such as the visible, especially when the sun is high(ish) in the sky and there is little forward scattering. Multi-spectral RGB products, such as the GOES-16 Dust RGB, shown below in a toggle with a VIIRS True-Color image and the GOES-16 Fire RGB (there is a fire evident near KLHX, LaJunta, CO), are a valuable tool in identifying the horizontal extent of dust plumes.  Dust is highlighted in the Dust RGB by a vivid pink/magenta color.

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GOES-16 (GOES-East) Upper-level Water Vapor (6.2 µm) images (above) displayed the signature of a leeside cold frontal gravity wave (reference) as it moved rapidly southward across the Plains (surface analyses) on 14 January 2021. Post-frontal wind gusts in the 50-70 knot range were seen, with a peak gust to 91 knots (105 mph) in eastern Wyoming.

In addition, an anomalously-strong (170-180 knot) meridional branch of the upper-tropospheric polar jet stream was progressing southward over the Rocky Mountains — and GOES-16 Water Vapor images with plots of Derived Motion Winds and contours of RAP40 model maximum wind speeds (below) revealed that the highest satellite-tracked Derived Motion Wind (DMW) speed was 182 knots over southern Montana at 1401 UTC. Some of the DMW speeds were nearly 10 knots faster than the RAP40 model maximum wind (for example, this 170-knot DMW over Wyoming at 1616 UTC).

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The CIMSS CSPP-Powered GeoSphere site is now available.  This site allows quick access to GOES-16 imagery via Cloud-friendly, flexible (and configurable) software.  Data are accessed from the GOES Re-Broadcast (GRB) downloaded via antenna at CIMSS/SSEC.  Significant effort was made to reduce latency.  For example,  GOES-16 Mesoscale Sectors load within about a minute of their being downloaded, CONUS sectors load within about 8 minutes, and Full-Disk imagery loads within 20 minutes.  In addition to the individual bands (1-16), a sharpened True-Color (Daytime) and Nighttime Microphysics (Nighttime) product is available.  The data are tiled and only tiles that are needed for the present view are loaded.  In addition to still images, animations can be displayed, and a user can choose how many images are in the loop (up to 30), and what the time-step (i.e., ‘Pattern Stride’) is.  Users can also share urls so that others can view the same animation.  For example, the image above was created with this url.  Individual frames can be downloaded via a left-click on the image.  There is at present no method to download animations directly.

More information on this site is available in this recorded presentation created from this PowerPoint.

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