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Chemical plant fire near Houston, Texas

By Scott Bachmeier •

GOES-16 (GOES-East) Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images (above) revealed the thermal anomaly or “hot spot” of a fire burning at the Intercontinental Terminals Company petrochemical plant in Deer Park, Texas on 18 March 2019. Although the thermal signature was often partially masked by the passage of high clouds overhead, it was... Read More

GOES-16 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 (GOES-East) Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images (above) revealed the thermal anomaly or “hot spot” of a fire burning at the Intercontinental Terminals Company petrochemical plant in Deer Park, Texas on 18 March 2019. Although the thermal signature was often partially masked by the passage of high clouds overhead, it was still evident for much of the time period (0202-1457 UTC, or 9:02pm-9:57am CDT). The fire started around 1530 UTC (10:30am CDT) on 17 March.

Comparisons of 2-km resolution (at satellite subpoint) GOES-16 Shortwave Infrared and 375-meter resolution VIIRS Shortwave Infrared (3.74 µm) imagery from Suomi NPP (at 0741 UTC) and NOAA-20 (at 0835 UTC) are shown below. The thermal signature is better defined and more accurately located using the higher-resolution VIIRS imagery.

Shortwave Infrared images from Suomi NPP VIIRS (3.74 µm) and GOES-16 (3.9 µm) at 0741 UTC [click to enlarge]

Shortwave Infrared images from Suomi NPP VIIRS (3.74 µm) and GOES-16 (3.9 µm) at 0741 UTC [click to enlarge]

Shortwave Infrared images from NOAA-20 VIIRS (3.74 µm) and GOES-16 (3.9 µm) at 0835 UTC [click to enlarge]

Shortwave Infrared images from NOAA-20 VIIRS (3.74 µm) and GOES-16 (3.9 µm) at 0835 UTC [click to enlarge]

A comparison of 1-km resolution NOAA-19 AVHRR and 2-km resolution GOES-16 Shortwave Infrared images at 1132 UTC is shown below. This happened to be at a time when the GOES-16 thermal signature was being masked by high clouds overhead. The fire was located northeast of the Houston Hobby (station identifier KHOU) and Ellington (station identifier KEFD) airports.

Shortwave Infrared images from NOAA-19 (3.7 µm) and GOES-16 (3.9 µm) at 1132 UTC [click to enlarge]

Shortwave Infrared images from NOAA-19 (3.7 µm) and GOES-16 (3.9 µm) at 1132 UTC [click to enlarge]

In a sequence of GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm), Near-Infrared “Vegetation” (0.86 µm) and Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images (below), the dark-colored smoke plume was most obvious in the Near-Infrared imagery — this is due to the fact that vegetation is more reflective at those wavelengths, helping to enhance the smoke/surface contrast. The smoke had drifted as far westward as Austin and Kerrville, a distance of over 100 miles.

GOES-16 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm), Near-Infrared "Vegetation" (0.86 µm) and Near-Infrared "Snow/Ice" (1.61 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm), Near-Infrared “Vegetation” (0.86 µm) and Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

===== 19 March Update =====

GOES-16 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm), Near-Infrared "Vegetation" (0.86 µm), and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm), Near-Infrared “Vegetation” (0.86 µm) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

The Deer Park Fire continued to burn uncontrolled on 19 March — 1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-16 Visible, Near-Infrared and Shortwave Infrared images (above) showed that while the passage of mid/upper-level clouds often obscured the dark-colored smoke plume, a signature of the hot thermal anomaly was seen almost continuously. Note that the color enhancement applied to the Shortwave Infrared imagery is different from the one used in the 18 March examples.

===== 22 March Update =====

GOES-16 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm), Near-Infrared “Vegetation” (0.86 µm) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

There was a brief re-ignition of the fire that began at 2035 UTC on 22 March, as shown by 1-minute GOES-16 Visible, Near-Infrared and Shortwave Infrared images (above). The thermal anomaly of the fire was only apparent for about 50 minutes — reaching a peak infrared brightness temperature of 48.4ºC at 2044 UTC — while the dark smoke continued to spread to cover a north-south distance of over 10 miles in 90 minutes, moving over Interstate 10 and the cities of Channelview and Highlands.

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Signatures of fresh snowfall in the Dakotas

By Scott Bachmeier •

GOES-16 (GOES-East) Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images (above) depicted the signature of northwest-to-southeast oriented swaths of fresh snowfall (lighter gray shades) which had recently fallen on top of the aged snow pack across North Dakota on 17 March 2019. As discussed here, the surface of the preexisting snow cover had experienced rapid melting several... Read More

GOES-16 Near-Infrared

GOES-16 Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 (GOES-East) Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images (above) depicted the signature of northwest-to-southeast oriented swaths of fresh snowfall (lighter gray shades) which had recently fallen on top of the aged snow pack across North Dakota on 17 March 2019. As discussed here, the surface of the preexisting snow cover had experienced rapid melting several days earlier, which increased its “water to ice crystal” ratio — making it appear darker, since water is a stronger absorber of radiation at the 1.61 µm wavelength.

A similar (albeit broader and more continuous) northwest-southeast swath of fresh snowfall was seen across South Dakota (below).

GOES-16 Near-Infrared "Snow/Ice" (1.61 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

The radar-derived 24 hour precipitation ending at 12 UTC on 17 March is shown below.

24-hour precipitation ending at 12 UTC on 17 March [click to enlarge]

24-hour precipitation ending at 12 UTC on 17 March [click to enlarge]

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Gas explosion and fire in Los Angeles, California

By Scott Bachmeier •

1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-17 (GOES-West) “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images (above) revealed the southwestward motion of a dark smoke cloud resulting from a gas explosion and fire in South Los Angeles, California on the morning of 17 March 2019.A sequence of 5-minute “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images from... Read More

GOES-17

GOES-17 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-17 (GOES-West) “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images (above) revealed the southwestward motion of a dark smoke cloud resulting from a gas explosion and fire in South Los Angeles, California on the morning of 17 March 2019.

A sequence of 5-minute “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images from both GOES-17 and GOES-16 (GOES-East) is shown below. It’s interesting to note that a distinct thermal anomaly (or fire “hot spot”) of 21.8ºC (darker orange enhancement) was apparent at 1502 UTC  and 1512 UTC in the GOES-16 Shortwave Infrared imagery — but not in the corresponding 3.9 µm images from GOES-17 (GOES-16 vs GOES-17: 1502 UTC | 1512 UTC).

In addition, the underlying mostly-urban landscape appeared a bit brighter in the GOES-16 Visible images, further enhancing the contrast between the dark smoke cloud and the surface (GOES-16 vs GOES-17 at 1517 UTC).

"Red" Visible (0.64 µm) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images from GOES-17 and GOES-16 [click to play animation | MP4]

“Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images from GOES-17 and GOES-16 [click to play animation | MP4]

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Flooding in South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa

By Scott Bachmeier •

GOES-16 (GOES-East) Near-Infrared “Vegetation” (0.86 µm) and “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images (above) revealed widespread river flooding (in the wake of rapid snow melt and heavy rainfall) across parts of southeastern South Dakota, eastern Nebraska and western/central Iowa on 15 March 2019. Water and flooded land appear as darkest shades of gray to black on both sets of... Read More

GOES-16 Near-Infrared

GOES-16 Near-Infrared “Vegetation” (0.86 µm) and “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 (GOES-East) Near-Infrared “Vegetation” (0.86 µm) and “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images (above) revealed widespread river flooding (in the wake of rapid snow melt and heavy rainfall) across parts of southeastern South Dakota, eastern Nebraska and western/central Iowa on 15 March 2019. Water and flooded land appear as darkest shades of gray to black on both sets of images —  remaining snow cover also appeared as darker shades on the 1.61 µm imagery. Additional information regarding the flooding is available from NWS Sioux Falls

In a toggle between Suomi NPP VIIRS Visible (0.64 µm) and “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images at 1821 UTC (below),1.61 µm imagery showed the darker shades of flooding over a north/south portion of Interstate 29 that was closed from State Highway 34 (west of Glenwood, Iowa) to the Iowa/Missouri border (south of Hamburg, Iowa).

Suomi NPP VIIRS Near-Infrared "Vegetation" (0.86 µm) and "Snow/Ice" (1.61 µm) images [click to enlarge]

Suomi NPP VIIRS Visible (0.64 µm) and “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm) images; Interstate Highways are plotted in red, while State Highways are plotted in gray [click to enlarge]

Comparisons of Terra MODIS True Color and False Color Red-Green-Blue (RGB) images at 1720 UTC viewed using RealEarth are shown below. In the False color imagery, snow cover appears as lighter shades of cyan, while water appears as darker shades of blue.

Terra MODIS True Color and False Color RGB images [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS True Color and False Color RGB images, centered over eastern Nebraska [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS True Color and False Color RGB images, centered near Vermillion, South Dakota [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS True Color and False Color RGB images, centered near Vermillion, South Dakota [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS True Color and False Color RGB images, centered near Ames, Iowa [click to enlarge]

Terra MODIS True Color and False Color RGB images, centered near Ames, Iowa [click to enlarge]

===== 16 March Update =====

Landsat-8 False Color image. centered to the east of Sioux City, Iowa [click to enlarge]

Landsat-8 False Color image centered to the east of Sioux City, Iowa [click to enlarge]

An overpass of the Landsat-8 satellite at 1706 UTC on 16 March provided 30-meter resolution False Color imagery — 2 sections of the swath are shown above and below. The RealEarth link to interactively view the image is here.

Landsat-8 False Color image. centered to the south of Omaha, Nebraska [click to enlarge]

Landsat-8 False Color image centered to the south of Omaha, Nebraska [click to enlarge]

Closer views centered at the NWS Omaha forecast office (which had to be evacuated due to flooding) and just west of Offutt Air Force Base (about one-third of which was under water) are shown below.

Landsat-8 False Color image. centered at the NWS forecast office in Valley, Nebraska [click to enlarge]

Landsat-8 False Color image centered at the NWS forecast office in Valley, Nebraska [click to enlarge]

Landsat-8 False Color image. centered near Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska [click to enlarge]

Landsat-8 False Color image centered just west of Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska [click to enlarge]



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