{"id":31896,"date":"2019-02-17T23:59:37","date_gmt":"2019-02-17T23:59:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/?p=31896"},"modified":"2019-02-20T03:45:28","modified_gmt":"2019-02-20T03:45:28","slug":"strong-jet-stream-over-the-lower-48-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/archives\/31896","title":{"rendered":"Strong jet streak over the Lower 48 states"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The 250-hPa jet streak currently over the CONUS contains wind speeds approaching 200 kt (230 mph) and is assoc. w\/ standardized anomalies &gt;3? spanning from Texas to Michigan. I suspect this jet streak is also helping cross-country flights arrive early on the East Coast! ? ? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/z7474e6bXk\">pic.twitter.com\/z7474e6bXk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Alicia M Bentley (@AliciaMBentley) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AliciaMBentley\/status\/1097281436606971905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/center><br \/>\n<div style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a class=\"thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190217_goes16_waterVapor_derivedMotionWinds_anim.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/conus_wv8_winds-20190218_000213.png\" alt=\"GOES-16 Upper-level Water Vapor (6.2 \u00b5m) images, with plots of Derived Motion Winds [click to play animation | MP4]\" width=\"640\" height=\"366\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">GOES-16 Upper-level Water Vapor <em>(6.2 \u00b5m)<\/em> images, with plots of Derived Motion Winds [click to play animation | <a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190217_goes16_waterVapor_derivedMotionWinds_anim.mp4\"><strong>MP4<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/div>An unusually strong jet streak was located over the Lower 48 states on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/dailywxmap\/index_20190217.html\">17 February 2019<\/a><\/strong>. GOES-16<em> (GOES-East)<\/em> Upper-level Water Vapor (<a href=\"http:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/goes\/OCLOFactSheetPDFs\/ABIQuickGuide_Band08.pdf\"><strong>6.2 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) images with plots of 6.2 \u00b5m <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/rammb.cira.colostate.edu\/training\/visit\/training_sessions\/goes_r_derived_motion_vectors\/\">Derived Motion Winds<\/a><\/strong> <em><strong>(above)<\/strong><\/em> showed numerous tracked targets along and south of the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190217_1802utc_wvwinds_nam40winds.png\">jet axis<\/a><\/strong> &#8212; within the jet streak exit region over the Mid-Atlantic states, some velocity values were as high as 181 knots <em><strong>(below)<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><div style=\"width: 652px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_0002utc_wvwinds_181kts.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_0002utc_wvwinds_181kts.png\" alt=\"GOES-16 Upper-level Water Vapor (6.2 \u00b5m) image, with plots of Derived Motion Winds at 0002 UTC [click to enlarge]\" width=\"642\" height=\"389\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">GOES-16 Upper-level Water Vapor <em>(6.2 \u00b5m)<\/em> image, with plots of Derived Motion Winds at 0002 UTC [click to enlarge]<\/p><\/div>A plot of rawinsonde data from Lincoln, Illinois at 00 UTC <em><strong>(below)<\/strong><\/em> showed wind speeds as high as 190 knots at a pressure of 231 hPa. The 250 hPa wind speed of <a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_00UTC_KILX_RAOB.TEXT\"><strong>184.7 knots<\/strong><\/a> set both a daily and an all-time <a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_00utc_kilx_250hPa_wind_speed_climatology.png\"><strong>record speed<\/strong><\/a> for that pressure level (the old all-time record was 175 knots for a sounding on 10 Dec at 00 UTC).<\/p>\n<p><div style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_00utc_kilx_raob.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_00utc_kilx_raob.png\" alt=\"Plot of 00 UTC rawinsonde data from Lincoln, Illinois [click to enlarge]\" width=\"640\" height=\"388\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plot of 00 UTC rawinsonde data from Lincoln, Illinois [click to enlarge]<\/p><\/div>GOES-16 <a href=\"http:\/\/rammb.cira.colostate.edu\/training\/visit\/quick_guides\/QuickGuide_GOESR_AirMassRGB_final.pdf\"><strong>Air Mass RGB<\/strong><\/a> images from the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aos.wisc.edu\/weather\/wx_obs\/GOES16.html\"><strong>AOS<\/strong><\/a> site <em><strong>(below)<\/strong><\/em> provided a classic portrayal of the green hues of warm\/moist tropical air south of and the orange\/red hues of cold\/dry polar air north of this strong jet stream.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 651px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a class=\"thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190217_goes16_airmassRGB_anim.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/20190218000213_conus.jpg\" alt=\"GOES-16 Air Mass RGB images [click to play animation | MP4]\" width=\"641\" height=\"384\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">GOES-16 Air Mass RGB images [click to play animation | <a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190217_goes16_airmassRGB_anim.mp4\"><strong>MP4<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>===== 18 February Update =====<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><div style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a class=\"thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_goes17_visible_snowIce_Las_Vegas_NV_anim.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/las_vis-20190218_182218.png\" alt=\"GOES-17 &quot;Red&quot; Visible (0.64 \u00b5m) and Near-Infrared &quot;Snow\/Ice (1.61 \u00b5m) images [click to play animation | MP4]\" width=\"640\" height=\"366\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">GOES-17 &#8220;Red&#8221; Visible<em> (0.64 \u00b5m)<\/em> and Near-Infrared &#8220;Snow\/Ice <em>(1.61 \u00b5m)<\/em> images [click to play animation | <a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_goes17_visible_snowIce_Las_Vegas_NV_anim.mp4\"><strong>MP4<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/div>The large southward dip of the polar jet stream &#8212; evident in the GOES-16 Air Mass RGB images from the previous day &#8212; brought cold air into the Desert Southwest, resulting in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_kvef_lsr.text\">snowfall<\/a><\/strong> at lower-elevation locations such as Las Vegas, Nevada. GOES-17 &#8220;Red&#8221; Visible (<a href=\"http:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/goes\/OCLOFactSheetPDFs\/ABIQuickGuide_Band02.pdf\"><strong>0.64 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) and Near-Infrared &#8220;Snow\/Ice (<a href=\"http:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/goes\/OCLOFactSheetPDFs\/ABIQuickGuide_Band05.pdf\"><strong>1.61 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) images <em><strong>(above)<\/strong><\/em> revealed snow on the ground in the Las Vegas area &#8212; much of which quickly melted with increased surface heating after sunrise. Snow cover is a good absorber of radiation at the 1.61 \u00b5m wavelength, so it appeared as darker shades of gray on the Snow\/Ice images; the distribution of the heavier snowfall amounts (which naturally melted more slowly) was influenced by the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_2112utc_goes17_visible_snowIce_topography_LAS_anim.gif\">topography<\/a><\/strong> of the area. This snowfall forced the closure of Interstate 15 from Las Vegas to the Nevada\/California border for several hours due to icy pavement and multiple traffic accidents.<\/p>\n<p>The snow cover was apparent in Visible imagery from 4 GOES <em><strong>(below) <\/strong><\/em>&#8212; GOES-17 <em>(GOES-West),<\/em> GOES-15 <em>(the<\/em> <em>backup GOES-West),<\/em> GOES-16 <em>(GOES-East)<\/em> and GOES-13<em> (the backup GOES-East, which had been brought out of storage for annual maintenance activities)<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><div style=\"width: 651px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a class=\"thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_goes17_goes15_goes16_goes13_Las_Vegas_NV_anim.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/G17_G15_G16_G13_VIS_LAS_18FEB2019_2019049_190218_GOES-13_0004PANELS.GIF\" alt=\"Visible images from GOES-17, GOES-15, GOES-15 and GOES-13 [click to play animation | MP4]\" width=\"641\" height=\"307\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Visible images from GOES-17, GOES-15, GOES-15 and GOES-13 [click to play animation | <a href=\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/190218_goes17_goes15_goes16_goes13_Las_Vegas_NV_anim.mp4\"><strong>MP4<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">? Lots of chatter this morning about the snow in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Vegas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Vegas<\/a>! Here&#8217;s a look at some of the observed totals, with most of the accumulations favoring the southern and western edges of town. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/VegasWeather?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#VegasWeather<\/a> ? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oo6UHwJUix\">pic.twitter.com\/oo6UHwJUix<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NWSVegas\/status\/1097558020505198594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 18, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 250-hPa jet streak currently over the CONUS contains wind speeds approaching 200 kt (230 mph) and is assoc. w\/ standardized anomalies &gt;3? spanning from Texas to Michigan. I suspect this jet streak is also helping cross-country flights arrive early on the East Coast! ? ? pic.twitter.com\/z7474e6bXk \u2014 Alicia M Bentley (@AliciaMBentley) February 17, 2019 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":31900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,43,74,80,45,25,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-goes-13","category-goes-15","category-goes-16","category-goes-17","category-redgreenblue-rgb-images","category-satellite-winds","category-winter-weather"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31896","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31896"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31896\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31938,"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31896\/revisions\/31938"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31896"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31896"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31896"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}