Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.8 µm Day/Night Band image (with surface observations)

An AWIPS image of Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.8 µm Day/Night Band data with overlays of surface observations (above) revealed the “dendritic fingers” signature of river valley fog across parts of southwestern Wisconsin and the adjacent Mississippi River Valley region at 08:17 UTC (3:17 AM local time) on 04 September 2012. The moon was in the waning gibbous phase (with 83% of the Moon’s visible disk illuminated), providing ample illumination of the night-time river valley fog features in the middle portion of the image. Additional cloud features could also be seen in other parts of the satellite scene, as well as the brighter signatures of city light across the region.

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Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.64 µm visible channel images

AWIPS images of Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.64 µm visible channel data (above) and 11.45 µm IR channel data (below) showed a close-up view of the clouds associated with a strong storm (surface analysis) that was crossing the Aleutian Islands and entering the Bering Sea on 03 September – 04 September 2012. Banded convective elements can be seen along the western edge of the high cloud deck, which marked the leading edge of the advancing occluded frontal boundary.

At the time of the images, the winds at Shemya Air Force Base (station identifier PASY) were gusting to 57 knots (66 mph), but during the previous hour the peak winds were 61 knots (70 mph).

Suomi NPP VIIRS 11.45 µm IR channel images

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Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.8 µm Day/Night Band image + 11.45 µm IR channel image

A comparison of AWIPS images of Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.8 µm Day/Night Band data with the corresponding 11.45 µm IR channel data (above) revealed a number of bright west-to-east oriented streaks — signatures of the aurora borealis — across northern portions of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba at 08:36 UTC on 03 September 2012. A strong coronal mass ejection from the sun hit the Earth’s magnetic field, creating a geomagnetic storm that produced vivid displays of aurora borealis across high latitudes of North America.

It is also interesting to point out that the pale white signature of thick airborne smoke which had been transported from fires in Idaho can be seen over Manitoba in the southeastern corner of the satellite scene.

Farther to the north, a similar comparison of VIIRS Day/Night Band and IR imagery (below) showed additional bright auroral streaks across southern Yukon and adjacent areas of Alaska and the Northwest Territories.

Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.8 µm Day/Night Band image + 11.45 µm IR channel image

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GOES-14 0.63 µm visible + 3.9 µm shortwave IR images (click image to play animation)

McIDAS images of 0.63 µm visible channel and 3.9 µm shortwave IR channel data (above; click image to play animation) showed a large wildfire that was growing quickly across western Nebraska on 01 September 2012. The GOES-14 satellite was being operated in Super Rapid Scan Operations for GOES-R (SRSOR) mode, providing images at 1-minute intervals.

With the combination of strong southerly winds, low relative humidities, and very dry fuels, the fire grew very quickly — in fact the dark burn scar could be seen advancing northward on the visible channel images. At times the hottest shortwave IR brightness temperatures (denoted by the darker red color enhancement) were at or near the GOES-14 3.9 µm saturation temperature of 338 K.

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