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Severe weather in Minnesota and Wisconsin

By Scott Bachmeier •

1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-16 (GOES-East) “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images (above) showed the development and propagation of a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) that produced hail up to 3.0 inches in diameter in Minnesota and wind gusts to 84 mph and a few tornadoes in Wisconsin (SPC Storm Reports | NWS Twin Cities | MN DNR | NWS Green Bay)... Read More

GOES-16 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm) images, with SPC Storm Reports plotted in red [click to play MP4 animation]

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images, with SPC Storm Reports plotted in red [click to play MP4 animation]

1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-16 (GOES-East) “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images (above) showed the development and propagation of a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) that produced hail up to 3.0 inches in diameter in Minnesota and wind gusts to 84 mph and a few tornadoes in Wisconsin (SPC Storm Reports | NWS Twin Cities | MN DNR | NWS Green Bay) on 19 July 2019. Numerous overshooting tops and widespread storm-top gravity waves were evident in the imagery, along with a few Above-Anvil Cirrus Plume features extending northeastward from some of the overshooting tops around sunset. Also notable were the inflow feeder bands that were streaming northward into the southern flank of the MCS across Minnesota.

A comparison of GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images (below) revealed cloud-top infrared brightness temperatures as cold as -86ºC over northwestern Wisconsin.

GOES-16

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images [click to play MP4 animation]

As the MCS persisted into the subsequent nighttime hours, GOES-16 Infrared images (below) showed the large canopy of cold cloud tops, with infrared brightness temperatures of -80ºC or colder (violet pixels).  Some of the embedded storms exhibited well-defined Enhanced-V storm top signatures (for example, at 2219 UTC).

GOES-16

GOES-16 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images, with SPC Storm Reports plotted in cyan [click to play animation | MP4]

===== 22 July Update =====

Terra MODIS True Color RGB images, 11 July vs 22 July [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS True Color RGB images, 11 July vs 22 July [click to enlarge]

A comparison of Terra MODIS True Color Red-Green-Blue (RGB) images from 11 July and 22 July (above) showed the subtle NW-SE oriented swath of downed trees across northeastern Wisconsin. A 14 July vs 22 July comparison as viewed using RealEarth is shown below — the swath extended from approximately Pickerel to Mountain.

14 July and 22 July Terra MODIS True Color RGB images [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS True Color RGB images, 14 July vs 22 July [click to enlarge]

In 22 July Terra MODIS images displayed using AWIPS (below), the swath of downed trees was brighter (more reflective) in the Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm), warmer (darker shades of orange to red) in the Shortwave Infrared (3.7 µm) and Land Surface Temperature, and lighter shades of green in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index.

Terra MODIS Visible (0.65 µm), Near-Infrared "Snow/Ice" (1.61 µm), Shortwave Infrared (3.7 µm), Land Surface Temperature and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index images on 22 July [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS Visible (0.65 µm), Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm), Shortwave Infrared (3.7 µm), Land Surface Temperature and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index images on 22 July [click to enlarge]

The swath of downed trees was also seen in GOES-16 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index images (below), showing up as a darker shade of green with that product’s default enhancement.

GOES-16 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index images [click to play animation]

GOES-16 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index images on 22 July [click to play animation]

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Eruption of the Ubinas volcano in southern Peru

By Scott Bachmeier •

A sequence of GOES-16 (GOES-East) Ash, SO2 and CIMSS Natural Color Red-Green-Blue (RGB) images (above) showed the volcanic cloud following an eruption of Ubinas in southern Peru on 19 July 2019. The volcanic plume was rich in both ash and SO2.A plot of surface data from La Paz, Bolivia (below) indicated... Read More

GOES-16 Ash, SO2 and CIMSS Natural Color RGB images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Ash, SO2 and CIMSS Natural Color RGB images [click to play animation | MP4]

A sequence of GOES-16 (GOES-East) Ash, SO2 and CIMSS Natural Color Red-Green-Blue (RGB) images (above) showed the volcanic cloud following an eruption of Ubinas in southern Peru on 19 July 2019. The volcanic plume was rich in both ash and SO2.

A plot of surface data from La Paz, Bolivia (below) indicated that the visibility dropped to 3 miles around 16 UTC as the volcanic cloud was drifting over that area (located about 150 miles downwind of Ubinas).

Time series of surface data from La Paz, Bolivia [click to enlarge]

Time series of surface data from La Paz, Bolivia [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS Ash Probability, Ash Loading, Ash Height and Ash Effective Radius from the NOAA/CIMSS Volcanic Cloud Monitoring site (below) confirmed the high amounts of ash loading (of generally small ash particles) — with maximum radiometrically-retrieved Ash Height values in the 18-20 km range.

Terra MODIS Ash Probability, Ash Loading, Ash Height and Ash Effective Radius at 1440 UTC [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS Ash Probability, Ash Loading, Ash Height and Ash Effective Radius at 1440 UTC [click to enlarge]

GOES-16 retrieved Ash Height values (below) were in general agreement with those obtained using the higher-resolution MODIS data.

GOES-16 Ash Height images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Ash Height images [click to play animation | MP4]

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Elevated NO2 signatures over the Northeast US

By Scott Bachmeier •

High temperatures (along with high dewpoints) prompted the issuance of Excessive Heat Warnings across much of the Northeast US on 19 July 2019. Under such conditions, surface NO2 concentrations in densely-populated urban areas often become elevated (primarily driven by emissions from motor vehicle exhaust, along with secondary sources such as coal-fired power... Read More

TROPOMI NO2 concentration [click to enlarge]

TROPOMI NO2 concentration (credit: Bob Carp, SSEC) [click to enlarge]

High temperatures (along with high dewpoints) prompted the issuance of Excessive Heat Warnings across much of the Northeast US on 19 July 2019. Under such conditions, surface NO2 concentrations in densely-populated urban areas often become elevated (primarily driven by emissions from motor vehicle exhaust, along with secondary sources such as coal-fired power plants and manufacturing / food processing industrial sources) — the high temperatures accelerate chemical reactions that form pollutants. The TROPOMI instrument detected plumes of elevated NO2 extending downwind (to the northeast) of major cities such as Philadelphia, New York City and Boston (above). The data are displayed using McIDAS-V.

A closer view centered on New York City is shown below.

TROPOMI NO2 concentration [click to enlarge]

TROPOMI NO2 concentration (credit: Bob Carp, SSEC) [click to enlarge]

The Aqua MODIS Land Surface Temperature product around that time (below) revealed LST values in the 100-110ºF range across the New York City and Boston areas, where the daily maximum surface air temperatures were 95ºF and 93ªF, respectively.

Aqua MODIS Land Surface Temperature, with plots of daily maximum surface air temperatures [click to enlarge]

Aqua MODIS Land Surface Temperature, with plots of daily maximum surface air temperatures [click to enlarge]

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Tropical Storm Barry

By Scott Bachmeier •

Tropical Storm Barry formed in the far northern Gulf of Mexico on 11 July 2019 — 1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-16 (GOES-East) “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images (above) displayed increasing convection associated with the tropical cyclone. The coldest cloud-top infrared brightness temperatures were -86ºC.As was seen in an animation of GOES-16 Infrared... Read More

GOES-16 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm) and "Clean" Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images, with plots of buoy and ship reports [click to play MP4 animation]

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images, with plots of buoy and ship reports [click to play MP4 animation]

Tropical Storm Barry formed in the far northern Gulf of Mexico on 11 July 2019 — 1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-16 (GOES-East) “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images (above) displayed increasing convection associated with the tropical cyclone. The coldest cloud-top infrared brightness temperatures were -86ºC.

As was seen in an animation of GOES-16 Infrared imagery from the CIMSS Tropical Cyclones site (below), Barry was in an environment of low deep-layer wind shear — a factor that was favorable for further intensification.

GOES-16 Infrared (11.2 µm) images, with contours of deep-layer wind shear [click to enlarge]

GOES-16 Infrared (11.2 µm) images, with contours of deep-layer wind shear [click to enlarge]

===== 12 July Update =====

GOES-16

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

1-minute GOES-16 Visible images (above) revealed a mesovortex that was rotating counter-clockwise around the low-level circulation center of Barry, which was approaching the coast of Louisiana on 12 July. Note that the METAR site located immediately east of the mesovortex around 17 UTC — KMDJ, Mississippi Canyon Oil Platform — had a wind gust of 73 knots or 84 mph around that time (and later had a wind gust to 90 mph at 2135 UTC or 4:35 PM CDT)

The corresponding GOES-16 Infrared images (below) showed that deep convection remained to the south of the center of Barry.

GOES-16 "Clean" Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

===== 17 July Update =====

Aqua MODIS Sea Surface Temperature product [click to enlarge]

Aqua MODIS Sea Surface Temperature product on 09 July [click to enlarge]

An Aqua MODIS Sea Surface Temperature image 2 days prior to the formation of Tropical Storm Barry (above) showed SST values in the upper 80s to low 90s F (darker shades of orange to red) in the northern Gulf of Mexico just south of Louisiana.

8 days later, a Terra MODIS SST image (below) revealed values predominantly in the lower to middle 80s F (green to yellow enhancement) — the slow movement of Barry as it eventually reached hurricane intensity just prior to landfall induced an upwelling of cooler sub-surface water over that area.

Terra MODIS Sea Surface Temperature product on 17 July [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS Sea Surface Temperature product on 17 July [click to enlarge]

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