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1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-18 (GOES-West) Water Vapor (6.9 µm) images (above) showed a mid-tropospheric shortwave trough that was moving inland across central/northern California — along with associated surface warm and cold frontal features on 14th December 2024. Sporadic lightning activity within a few bands of convection was indicated by GLM Flash Points. Of particular... Read More
1-minute GOES-18 Mid-level Water Vapor (6.9 µm) images, with plots of SPC Storm Reports of Severe Wind Gusts (cyan), hourly METAR site Peak Wind Gusts (red), GLM Flash Points (white) and 3-hourly Surface Fronts (beige); a Tornado Warning issued for the San Francisco area is depicted by a red polygon [click to play MP4 animation]
1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-18 (GOES-West) Water Vapor (6.9 µm) images (above) showed a mid-tropospheric shortwave trough that was moving inland across central/northern California — along with associated surface warm and cold frontal features on 14th December 2024. Sporadic lightning activity within a few bands of convection was indicated by GLM Flash Points. Of particular interest was the Tornado Warning (red polygon) that was issued for San Francisco (possibly the first Tornado Warning issued for San Francisco proper?). There were several reports of strong winds across the Bay Area, most notably a gust to 72 knots (83 mph) at San Francisco International Airport.
1-minute GOES-18 Clean Infrared Window (10.3 µm) images, with time-matched (+/- 3 minutes) SPC Storm Reports plotted in red [click to play animated GIF | MP4]
1-minute GOES-18 Infrared (10.3 µm) images (above) included plots of SPC Storm Reports across the area.
Later in the day, a low-topped thunderstorm produced an EF1-rated tornado at Scotts Valley, the location of which was shown in 1-minute GOES-18 Visible (0.64 µm) and Infrared images (below).
1-minute GOES-18 Red Visible (0.64 µm, left) and Clean Infrared Window (10.3 µm, right) images, with time-matched (+/- 3 minutes) SPC Storm Report of a tornado (T) plotted in red [click to play animated GIF | MP4]
1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-18 (GOES-West) Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images (above) displayed a pronounced thermal signature associated with the Franklin Fire, which began burning just north-northwest Malibu, California around 0644 UTC on 10th December 2024 (or 10:24 PM PST on 9th December). This wildfire was driven by strong Santa Ana winds, which helped it to increase rapidly in... Read More
1-minute GOES-18 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images, from 0631-2130 UTC on 10th December [click to play MP4 animation]
1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector GOES-18 (GOES-West) Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images (above) displayed a pronounced thermal signature associated with the Franklin Fire, which began burning just north-northwest Malibu, California around 0644 UTC on 10th December 2024 (or 10:24 PM PST on 9th December). This wildfire was driven by strong Santa Ana winds, which helped it to increase rapidly in size and intensity — in fact, the Franklin Fire began to exhibit 3.9 µm brightness temperatures of 137.88ºC (the saturation temperature of GOES-18 ABI Band 7 detectors) beginning at 0855 UTC (below), which persisted until 0947 UTC.
Sample of GOES-18 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) brightness temperature NW of Malibu at 0855 UTC on 10th December [click to enlarge]
About 12 minutes after the Franklin Fire began to exhibit a thermal signature on GOES-18 Shortwave Infrared imagery, a RAWS site just east of the wildfire reported a wind gust of 52 mph at 0656 UTC (below). About 2.5 hours later, a RAWS site just northwest of the fire reported a wind gust of 50 mph at 0931 UTC. In addition to the strong winds, relative humidity values at those nearby RAWS sites were generally 10% or less.
GOES-18 Shortwave Infrared image at 0656 UTC, with a sample of RAWS site observation data just east of the Franklin Fire [click to enlarge]
Since the Franklin Fire began and rapidly intensified during the nighttime hours, its thermal signature was also apparent in the Near-Infrared 1.61 µm and 2.24 µm spectral bands (below).
1-minute GOES-18 Near-Infrared (1.61 µm and 2.24 µm, top and middle) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm, bottom) images, from 0635-1430 UTC on 10th December [click to play animated GIF | MP4]
1-minute GOES-18 True Color RGB images from the CSPP GeoSphere site (below) revealed several pyrocumulus jumps over the Franklin Fire, in addition to a dense smoke plume drifting offshore.
1-minute GOES-18 True Color RGB images, from 1530-2359 UTC on 10th December [click to play MP4 animation]
Fog and Low Clouds are an important hazard with respect to air and surface travel. How can these obstructions to visibility be highlighted from satellite? The toggle above shows the Night Fog Brightness Temperature Difference and the Night Microphysics RGB, popular satellite products to detect regions of fog. Blue regions... Read More
GOES-East Night Fog Brightness Temperature Difference (10.3 µm – 3.9 µm) and Nighttime microphysics RGB, 1346 UTC pm 9 December 2024 (click to enlarge)
Fog and Low Clouds are an important hazard with respect to air and surface travel. How can these obstructions to visibility be highlighted from satellite? The toggle above shows the Night Fog Brightness Temperature Difference and the Night Microphysics RGB, popular satellite products to detect regions of fog. Blue regions in the Night Fog brightness temperature difference are regions where clouds with liquid water droplets exist: the brightness temperature difference is much larger than zero because liquid cloud droplets do not emit 3.9 µm energy as a blackbody would, but those same cloud droplets do emit 10.3 µm energy nearly as a blackbody would. The conversion of the radiation sensed by the satellite assumes blackbody emissions, so that the 10.3 µm brightness temperature is close to the cloud-top temperature, but the 3.9 µm brightness temperature (at night) is significantly colder. This brightness temperature is the ‘green’ component to the Night Microphysics RGB: low clouds will show as yellow where the atmosphere is relatively cold (for example over northwest Wisconsin and east-central Colorado) and more of a cyan color where the atmosphere is comparatively warm (central to southwestern Arkansas, for example). Are these the only regions where you might expect fog? What is happening under the high clouds over Oklahoma (depicted as red in the RGB) or the mid-level clouds over Mississippi (purple in the RGB)? One could look at surface observations, as shown below in the toggle, or at webcams, to determine where fog exists. The toggle below shows that fog exists under the high clouds (black enhancement) and under low clouds (blue/cyan enhancement), but the Brightness Temperature Difference field (and the RGB) have very different signals.
GOES-East Night Fog Brightness Temperature Difference (10.3 µm – 3.9 µm) 1346 UTC pm 9 December 2024 with/without surface METARs (click to enlarge)
GOES-R has a level-2 Fog/Low Cloud detection product, IFR Probability. It combines information about clouds (from the satellite) with information about low-level saturation from the Rapid Refresh Model. The toggle below shows IFR Probability fields with observations. The flat solid orange field over central Oklahoma northeastward to Kansas City is a typical look for the field that is driven mainly by model output — this is where high clouds prevent infrared satellite detection of low-level clouds, but because low-level model fields are near saturation, it’s likely that IFR conditions are present (as shown in the observations). The deeper red values over southeast Oklahoma and parts of the Red River valley is more pixelated, reflecting the ability of the satellite to detect low clouds in that region. Note also how the IFR Probability field has little signal over the clouds in southeastern CO — because the Rapid Refresh model there shows no low-level saturation: that cloud is likely stratus that is elevated off the surface.
GOES-16 IFR Probability with/without surface observations, 1346 UTC on 9 December 2024 (Click to enlarge)
Make sure the satellite-based fog detection product you use is appropriate for the environment, and if possible, verify the satellite estimates with surface observations from airports, or webcams. Use every product available.
The GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) have been around since 1975, although there were earlier non-operational versions operated by NASA, such as ATS, which carried UW/Madison’s Verner Suomi‘s Spin-Scan Cloudcover Camera. The ATS was followed by the SMS, which carried an early version of the VISSR.To prepare for the 50th anniversary of GOES,... Read More
The GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) have been around since 1975, although there were earlier non-operational versions operated by NASA, such as ATS, which carried UW/Madison’s Verner Suomi‘s Spin-Scan Cloudcover Camera. The ATS was followed by the SMS, which carried an early version of the VISSR.
The continuity of GOES, from GOES-1 through GOES-19. Note that at the time of this posting, GOES-19 is Preliminary, Non-operational.Timeline of U.S. geostationary weather satellites. Credit: NOAA.Timeline of the GOES over the decades. Credit: NOAA.
To prepare for the 50th anniversary of GOES, below is a collection of animations from each of the GOES, starting with GOES-1.
GOES-1
GOES-A (also known as SMS-C) was launched on October 16, 1975. The satellite became GOES-1 when it reached the geostationary orbit. More on the launch pad’s used for each GOES launch over the decades. Later the satellite was moved to be over the Indian Ocean, to support the GARP field experiment. The VISSR had one visible and one longwave window infrared (IR) band.
Animation of the visible band on GOES-1 from April 10, 1979.
The approximate spatial resolution of the GOES-1 visible sensor was 1 km.
GOES-2
GOES-B was launched on June 16, 1977.
The GOES-2 VISSR visible band on the left and the Infrared band on the right, from June 16, 1978. (Click to Play.)
The IR band provides cloud information both during the day and night. The coldest pixels in the above IR image have been color-coded.
GOES-3
GOES-C was launched on June 16, 1978.
The GOES-3 VISSR visible band on the top and the Infrared band on the bottom, from May 18, 1980. (Click to Play.)
The Mt St Helens ash plume could be seen in both the visible and IR bands of GOES-3. SMS-2 also observed the ash cloud.
GOES-4
GOES-D was launched on September 9, 1980. This was the first U.S. GOES to include a water vapor spectral band. The animation below shows Hurricane Norma with the one visible band. Some striping can be seen, due to the type of detectors then used.
The GOES-4 visible band monitored Hurricane Norma, from October 10-11, 1981. (Click to Play.)
GOES-G was a launch failure. This is one of the reasons that the U.S. only had one GOES for over 5 years.
GOES-7
GOES-H was launched on February 26, 1987. Being the only GOES for over 5 years, the spacecraft was moved seasonally to better observed upstream weather or the Atlantic for hurricane development. Hurricane Andrew was a very powerful storm, being a Cat 4 when it made landfall in Florida. (Unless it was a Cat 5.) And was a Cat 3 when it made landfall over the south-central Louisiana coast. The warmer IR values in the animation below are light-blue to green.
The GOES-7 IR wind band monitored Hurricane Norma, from August 22-26, 1992. (Click to Play.)
GOES-I was launched on April 13, 1994. A Midwest blizzard as seen with the water vapor band on the GOES-8 imager. Note the improved spatial resolutions from earlier geo images.
The GOES-8 water vapor band monitored a large low pressure area, from January 1-4, 1999. (Click to Play.)
The GOES-9 IR window band monitored several typhoons, from October 17- September 7, 2004. (Click to Play.)
The apparent “bouncing” of the Earth was caused for the increased inclination of the GOES-9 satellite. The moon was captured in one of the images. This was the possible with images from ATS to GOES-15, although the GOES-16/17/18/19 ABI data are remapped onto the Earth, so any moon shot is not included with the image that is available to users. More GOES-9 related CIMSS Satellite Blog posts. And those related to tropical cyclones.
GOES-10
GOES-K was launched on April 25, 1997. Although the GOES are often called “weather satellites”, they monitor much more, including volcanic ash. This is an example from the Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador.
The GOES-10 IR window “split window” band difference (left) and the visible band (right) monitored several typhoons, from February 6, 2008. (Click to Play.)
GOES-M was launched on July 23, 2001. This imager had improved spatial resolution of the water vapor band. The loop below shows the progression of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, as it first made landfall in Florida and then Louisiana.
The GOES-12 water vapor band monitored Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico, from August 23- 30, 2005. (Click to Play.)
GOES-N was launched on May 24, 2006. GOES-13/14/15 used a newer spacecraft, one that allowed for more imaging during seasonal eclipse outages. This loop of Hurricane Matthew was well anticipated as the GOES-R rocket was in Florida awaiting it’s November launch date. The hurricane’s path was just off the eastern Florida coast.
The GOES-13 combined (visible + cold IR pixels) water vapor band monitored Hurricane Matthew just off the Florida coast, from October 6 – 7, 2016. (Click to Play.)
GOES-O was launched on June 27, 2009. Several times GOES-14 was put into operational service, when there were issues with the operational GOES. It also supplied over 5 months of experimental 1-min data over parts of 2012 – 2016. These data helped prepare for the operational 1-min imagery from the GOES-R series Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI).
The GOES-14 visible band every 1-min monitored Hurricane Sandy as it made it’s way up the East Coast from October 25 – 31, 2012. (Click to Play.)
GOES-R was launched on November 19, 2016. The GOES-R series carried the ABI, which was orders of magnitude improved over the legacy imagers. Before the instruments are ready for operational use, the quality of the data needs to be inspected. The first of these early data are called first light. For GOES-16, this was January 15, 2017 at 18 UTC. The animation shows both the individual ABI spectral bands, but also a number of Red-Green-Blue image composites, such as the airmass RGB for the day-cloud-phase RGB.
The GOES-16 First Light Full Disk imagery of all 16 ABI spectral bands and select RGB composites on January 15, 2017. (Click to Play.)
GOES-S was launched on March 1, 2018. There was a “rapid expansion of a volcanic cloud following an explosive eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha`apai on 15 January 2022″. An abrupt shock wave was evident, which propagated radially outward in all directions. The GOES-17 ABI water vapor band time difference loop was chosen as the UW-Madison Cool Science Animation winner in 2022.
The GOES-17 ABI water vapor band (9) time difference imagery over the southern Pacific from January 15, 2022. (Click to Play.)
GOES-T was launched on March 1, 2022. The loop below shows the smoke associated with the Park Fire in California (and fog) during the day (with the visible band) and “fire” RGB (at night) over many days. The location of Lake Tahoe is seen in the lower right part of the image.
The GOES-18 visible (during the day) and “fire” RGB (at night) over central California from July 24 – August 1, 2024. (Click to Play.)
GOES-U was launched on June 25, 2024. During the post-launch check-out phase, the GOES-19 ABI monitored a prolonged eruptive period of Popocatépetl in Mexico. The “ash” RGB is shown for a period of almost two weeks. This composite uses four of the ABI spectral bands. The GOES-19 ABI are early images (preliminary and non-operational), beta stage.
The GOES-19 (Preliminary, non-operational) “ash” RGB over central Mexico from October 22 – November 4, 2024. (Click to Play.)
The first GOES leveraged the earlier experimental geostationary imagers, the ATS and SMS series. In fact, SMS-C became GOES-A/1.
The Pantheon U.S. geostationary “weather” satellites, from ATS-1 to GOES-19.Spatial resolutions and spectral locations of U.S. Geostationary imagers — from ATS (1966) to GXI (2032 and beyond).
There have been great advances in the spatial, spectral and temporal attributes of the U.S. geostationary imagers, starting with ATS, continuing with the ABI and projected for the future GXI. The GeoXO is also slated to carry an advanced infrared sounder (GXS). Of course there are other sensors on the GOES, including to monitor total lightning, as well space weather and the Sun.
