![\"GOES-16](\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/12\/181218_goes16_visible_cirrus_waterVapor_FL_contrails_anim.gif\")
<\/a>GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 \u00b5m, top),<\/em> Near-Infrared “Cirrus” (1.37 \u00b5m, middle)<\/em> and Low-level Water Vapor (7.3 \u00b5m, bottom)<\/em> images [click to play animation | MP4<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/div>A pair of circular contrails was seen along the coast of the Florida Panhandle in GOES-16 (GOES-East)<\/em> “Red” Visible (0.64 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>), Near-Infrared “Cirrus” (1.37 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) and Low-level Water Vapor (7.3 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) images (above)<\/strong> <\/em>on 18 December 2018<\/strong><\/a>. The contrail features were moving eastward at speed of 50-60 knots.<\/p>\n GOES-16 Water Vapor weighting functions<\/strong><\/a> derived using 12 UTC rawinsonde data<\/strong><\/a> from Tallahassee, Florida (below)<\/strong><\/em> revealed significant contributions by radiation being sensed from levels peaking at either 424 hPa or 442 hPa with all 3 spectral bands — due to a shallow layer of mid-tropospheric moisture — with secondary higher-altitude weighting function peaks around the 300 hPa pressure level.<\/p>\n GOES-16 Water Vapor weighting functions derived using 12 UTC rawinsonde data from Tallahassee, Florida [click to enlarge]<\/p><\/div>Wind speeds from 12 UTC Tallahassee rawinsonde data (below)<\/strong><\/em> were 50 knots or greater above the 300 hPa layer, which suggests the contrails existed near that level — and the increased moisture at that high altitude allowed the contrails to persist for nearly 2.5 hours before dissipating.<\/p>\n<\/a>