![\"GOES-16](\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/images\/2021\/01\/210104_goes17_visible_infrared_spcStormReports_CA_anim.gif\")
<\/a>GOES-17 \u201cRed\u201d Visible (0.64 \u00b5m, left)<\/em> and \u201cClean\u201d Infrared Window (10.35 \u00b5m, right)<\/em> images, with SPC Storm Reports plotted in red [click to play animation | MP4<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/div>1-minute Mesoscale Domain Sector<\/strong><\/a> GOES-17 (GOES-West)<\/em> \u201cRed\u201d Visible (0.64 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) and \u201cClean\u201d Infrared Window (10.35 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) images (above)<\/strong> <\/em>showed thunderstorms moving eastward across Northern California on 04 January 2021<\/strong><\/a>, which produced 2 tornadoes (SPC Storm Reports<\/strong><\/a>) in the Sacramento Valley south and southeast of Red Bluff (KRBL). Vertical wind shear was evident in the Visible imagery, with low clouds moving northwestward and mid\/upper-level clouds moving eastward.<\/p>\n A toggle between Suomi NPP VIIRS Visible (0.64 \u00b5m) and Infrared Window (11.45 \u00b5m) images at 2148 UTC (below)<\/strong> <\/em>showed the storm that produced a tornado in Corning approximately 8 minutes earlier. The coldest cloud-top infrared brightness temperatures were around -38\u00baC (darker shades of yellow)<\/em>.<\/p>\n Suomi NPP VIIRS Visible (0.64 \u00b5m)<\/em> and Infrared Window (11.45 \u00b5m)<\/em> images [click to enlarge]<\/p><\/div>MIMIC Total Precipitable Water<\/strong><\/a> images during the 02-04 January time period (below)<\/em><\/strong> showed a long ribbon of moisture (a necessary ingredient for convection) impinging upon Northern California — and a mid-tropospheric trough (500 hPa analysis<\/strong><\/a>) along with a cold front that was moving inland (surface analyses<\/strong><\/a>) provided forcing for ascent to further enhance convective development.<\/p>\n<\/a>