![\"GOES-16](\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/01\/190101_goes16_nearInfrared_snowIce_SD_MN_anim.gif\")
<\/a>GOES-16 Near-Infrared “Snow\/Ice” (1.61 \u00b5m)<\/em> images [click to play animation | MP4<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/div>GOES-16 (GOES-East)<\/em> Near-Infrared “Snow\/Ice” (1.61 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) images (above)<\/strong><\/em> revealed a darker swath — oriented southwest to northeast, from central South Dakota to central Minnesota — highlighting areas which received an accrual of ice (from freezing rain\/drizzle)<\/em> during a 30 December<\/strong><\/a> – 31 December 2018<\/strong><\/a> mixed precipitation event (surface analyses<\/strong><\/a>). Light to moderate Freezing Rain was reported at Watertown SD (KATY) for 3.5 consecutive hours (plot<\/strong><\/a> | text<\/strong><\/a>).<\/p>\n As seen in a plot of ABI<\/strong><\/a> Spectral Response Functions (below)<\/strong>,<\/em> snow and ice are efficient absorbers of radiation (and therefore exhibit a low relectance) at the 1.61 \u00b5m wavelength, making them appear darker<\/strong> on the Snow\/Ice imagery — and since ice absorbs more strongly than snow, it appears as the darkest shades of gray\/black. Strong northerly winds<\/strong><\/a> in the wake of the precipitation event then swept the residual ice-crusted snow cover clear of any new snowfall.<\/p>\n