NOAA Image of the Day

Nation's Newest Weather Satellite Captures Glimpse of 1st 2012 Tropical Storm

After officially becoming the first named storm of the 2012 Pacific Hurricane Season on May 15, 2012, Tropical Storm Aletta was observed by the nation's newest weather satellite, the Suomi-NPP (a NOAA-NASA partnership), at around 8:30z. Seen here in 350 meter resolution VIIRS infrared imagery are the overshooting tops associated with the most intense areas of convention in the storm (colored dark orange). TS Aletta currently has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and is moving due west in the Eastern Pacific.

Data from Suomi-NPP is still undergoing quality assurance processes and are not yet operational products.

NOAA Climate Analysis: April 2012 was 5th Warmest on Record

The average global land and ocean temperature for April 2012 was the fifth warmest since record keeping began in 1881, as noted in the NOAA National Climatic Center's latest analysis. As shown in the image, most of the globe’s land areas experienced warmer-than-average temperatures, resulting in the second warmest April land temperature, behind 2007. Meanwhile, the April 2012 global oceans ranked as the 11th warmest on record. The Arctic sea ice extent during April was the highest average April sea ice extent since 2001. Additionally, La Niña dissipated and transitioned to neutral conditions during April as sea surface temperatures continued to warm across the equatorial Pacific Ocean. According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, neutral conditions are expected to continue through the Northern Hemisphere summer.

Tropical Depression ONE-E in the Pacific Ocean

The first tropical depression of the 2012 eastern north Pacific Hurricane Season has formed ahead of the official season start date. The disturbance several hundred miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico has gradually acquired more organization and over night an Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) pass aboard the EUMETSAT Metop-A satellite indicated a well-defined surface circulation. Environmental conditions are conducive for some additional development over the next couple of days, but after that global models forecast a substantial increase in westerly vertical wind shear, leading to dissipation in 2 to 3 days. This image was taken by GOES East at 1445Z on May 14, 2012.

Drought Persists in Texas, Southeastern States

The U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook (lower right image) for May 3 – July 31, 2012 is based on short-, medium-, and long-range forecasts, initial conditions, and climatology. Since the release of the previous Drought Outlook issued on April 19, 2012, a slight expansion of drought occurred in the Tennessee Valley and lower Ohio Valley while drought conditions intensified across the interior Southeast. In contrast, drought improvement is noted across southern New England and southeast Florida. Since precipitation signals are weak on the seasonal time scale, this outlook is based primarily on short to medium range forecasts and climatology. Some improvement is forecast along the East Coast with improvement most likely across the south-central Florida peninsula. The protracted drought across Georgia and South Carolina is expected to persist. Persistence is also forecast in northeast Minnesota, but prospects for improvement increase farther south in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. Some improvement can be expected across the drought areas of the central and southern high Plains, while drought is expected to persist or expand across parts of the West along with western and south-central Texas.

The U.S. Drought Monitor for the week ending May 8, 2012 (upper left image) shows exceptional drought in west Texas and Florida, Georgia, southeastern Alabama and southwestern South Carolina.

Reductions in the coverage of exceptional (D4) and extreme (D3) drought were made across western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Rains this week were not exceptional, but a recent wet pattern has helped to alleviate some of the dryness across that region. Heavy rains across central Texas, occurring right up to the data-cutoff, prompted improvements there, but poor groundwater storage and slowly responding reservoir levels continue to mitigate the recovery, so the only modest reductions in coverage were indicated.

A plume of tropical moisture moved northward across the Gulf of Mexico and brought heavy rains to portions of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and western Georgia. The rains prompted some trimming of each drought level across southwestern Alabama and extreme western Florida. Extreme drought was removed from Okaloosa and Santa Rosa Counties in Florida, and along the I-65 corridor, north of Mobile. As a result of isolated convective rains (1.0 - 2.4 inches), reductions in the coverage of drought conditions were also pursued across west-central Georgia and eastern Alabama. Across northeastern Florida, the rains missed the areas already under severe or extreme drought, so D4 (exceptional drought) was expanded to cover Saint Johns county. Additional expansion of D3 (extreme drought) was included over Flagler County.

Rain and Thunderstorms in Texas

Heavy rainfall and flash floods are possible today across central and southern Texas. Several inches of rainfall are expected, which could lead to flooding of urban areas and small creeks. Meanwhile, severe thunderstorms are possible across southern Texas, with large hail, damaging winds and weak tornadoes possible. This image was taken by GOES East at 1315Z on May 10, 2012.

Rain on the East Coast and Texas

A cold front slowly pushing into the eastern U.S. will keep weather unsettled from the Gulf Coast to New England. Heavy rains with embedded thunderstorms are expected to continue across Texas. Weather will remain quiet underneath an upper ridge expanding from California eastward over the great basin, and northward into the northwest territories of Canada. This image was taken by GOES East at 1815Z on May 8, 2012.

Few 20th Century April Heat Records Remain

After a decade of warmer than average Aprils in the U.S., few highest monthly maximum temperature records for April remain from the 20th Century. This image plots the decade in which the highest average April temperature record was set for different regions of the country, starting in 1911 (i.e., 1911-1920) and running through 2010, using data from the NOAA National Climatic Center’s detailed archives. The records broken in 2011 and 2012 are shown separately. Most of the pixel colors are associated with the 2001-2010, 2011 and 2012 time periods. Gray indicates no data (records) are associated with that area of the country.

For a movie, please see the link below for Download High Resolution Version.

Much of the Western U.S. Experience the Warmest April on Record

Over 300 locations in the U.S. had a daily warm temperature which was the warmest on record for April, according to data from the NOAA National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). Not only were many monthly records broken, but many of them were broken by a large margin – well over 1 degree Fahrenheit. Plotted in this image are the locations of the broken records for the highest monthly maximum temperature during April, along with shades of red indicating by how much the record was broken. Many of these records were concentrated in the Rocky Mountains and Southern Plains. Texas alone accounted for over 50 of these records. To note: for highly populated areas, there may be more than one automated surface observation station (ASOS) whose values are averaged to form a single grid point (pixel). The final statistics on the April 2012 U.S. climate analysis will be released by NCDC in the first week of May.

Storms in the Gulf Feed Off Warm Loop Current

The Loop Current, as seen in NOAA's Daily 5 km resolution sea surface temperature product, is providing fuel for convection today west of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. The NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory's Tropical Cyclone Heat Potential map of the Gulf of Mexico shows the cyclone potential beginning to build in the area between the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba, trailing into the Gulf. This image was taken by GOES East at 1645Z on May 3, 2012.

An Even Closer Look at Ocean Temperatures

After the sun, the ocean is the most important driver of weather and climate on the planet – it transports heat across latitudes and depths, exchanges moisture with the atmosphere, and its climatic cycles affect weather patterns around the world. The ocean is home to 50% of life on Earth, and over half of humans live within 35 miles of its coast. This week, NOAA has taken one step closer to a better understanding of our ocean’s dynamics. Researchers in NOAA Satellite and Information Service have developed and put into operations a daily 5 kilometer resolution sea surface temperature product – the highest resolution, global, cloud-cleared, real-time analysis of the ocean temperature thus far. The 5 km product replaces the 13 km product developed just four years ago. This particular dataset combines measurements from the NOAA GOES and POES, EUMETSAT Meteosat-9 and Metop-A, and JMA MTSAT satellites, and uses an improved series of equations to reduce the noise and improve the spatial accuracy over other SST measurements.

Shown here is the blended SST product for May 2, 2012, along with detailed insets showing the Gulf Stream Current (top), Kuroshio Current (middle), and the Malvinas Current (bottom). A full resolution rendering of the data can be seen here.

Clouds and Dust in Africa

Overshooting cloud tops can be seen in the bottom right of this image from the Meteosat-9 geostationary satellite, which provides coverage over Western Europe, Africa, and the Eastern Atlantic. Convective storms that form in Africa can seed the development of tropical disturbances as they move across the continent and pick up energy from the tropical waters of the Atlantic. Also visible in this image are dust plumes blowing off of the African coast. These dust storms may interact with the convective cells, acting to break up the further intensification of storms out to sea. The 2012 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins in one month on June 1st. NOAA’s outlook for the season will be released at the end of this month.

Anniversary of the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF-4 Tornado

Early in the evening of April 27, 2011, The GOES East satellite took this picture, mid-way through the life of a particularly long-lived supercell thunderstorm. The storm began in Newton County Mississippi at 2:54 pm CDT and dissipated in Macon County North Carolina around 10:18 pm CDT. This supercell existed for about 7 hours and 24 minutes, traveled approximately 380 miles and produced several strong to violent tornadoes along the way. One of the tornadoes is now known as the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF-4 Tornado.

This tornado initially touched down in rural northern Greene County and moved northeast through southern Tuscaloosa and western Jefferson Counties, where it caused devastating damage consistent with a violent EF4 rating to portions of the city of Tuscaloosa and western suburbs of Birmingham, before it lifted northeast of downtown Birmingham. The tornado caused damage along a path 80.68 miles long and 2600 yards wide in places, winds howling up to 190 mph. Many people lost their lives.

NOAA and FEMA are partnering together this week to highlight the first-ever National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. As part of NOAA’s campaign to Build a Weather-Ready Nation, this week is all about what you can do to take a stand against severe weather. Being a force of nature means never bowing to extreme weather. It means taking appropriate actions before, during and after extreme weather strikes by knowing your risk, having a plan, building a kit and staying informed via a NOAA Weather Radio. It also means being connected to family, friends and neighbors and inspiring them to act.

Last year during this week, storms raked the central and southern United States, spawning more than 300 tornadoes, claiming hundreds of lives and ranking as one of the largest tornado outbreaks in U.S. history. As the nation marks the first anniversary of that historic outbreak, we’re asking each person across the country to “Be a Force of Nature” by knowing the risk, taking action and being an example.

This image was taken by GOES East at 2215Z on April 27, 2011.

Severe Thunderstorms Possible from the U.S. Mid-South to the Atlantic Coast

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of far north Georgia, western North Carolina, upstate South Carolina, southeast Tennessee and far southwest Virginia. Hail to 1 inch diameter, thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph and dangerous lightning are possible in these areas. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Severe thunderstorms ca and occasionally do produce tornadoes. This image was taken by GOES East at 1345Z on April 26, 2012.

Air Quality in the United States

Many factors affect air quality: wind direction and speed, fossil fuel combustion or other anthropogenic inputs, wildfires, natural chemical interactions in the atmosphere, etc. Short-term spikes in air pollutants may affect those with breathing difficulties (such as high smog or ozone), but long-term exposure to degraded air quality affects everyone. The American Lung Association has released a report that compiles data associated with the EPA and NOAA’s efforts to monitor and model air quality in the U.S. In general, conditions have improved across the U.S. over the past years, an improvement attributed to the Clean Air Act and individual efforts to reduce emissions. However, about 41% of the nation are still exposed to air quality levels that may be dangerous to breathe. NOAA’s observations and models are key to providing local authorities the information they require to issue air quality alerts.

Shown here are two outputs from NOAA’s air quality forecasts for daily smoke and ozone concentration. These models rely heavily on the ability of the GOES satellite to detect low-level ozone, smoke, dust, aerosols, and other particles using its visible and infrared sensors. Each image shows the maximum expected values for April 26, 2012.

Storm Leaves Snow Across Northeast

As a Nor'easter blew across the U.S., a rare late spring snow was brought to the Northeast. Up to one foot of snow fell in parts of Pennsylvania and New York, with lesser amounts in West Virginia and Maryland. Shown here is NOAA's snow depth analysis for April 24, 2012, using data from ground sensors and gauges, satellite, and aircraft reconnaissance (where available).

Animation of April 2012 Nor'easter Storm

A Nor’easter storm is bringing heavy rains and snow to many parts of the Northeast U.S. The system developed as a large front moved across the U.S. on Friday, combining with a smaller convective system off the coast of Florida. As this system moved north, it intensified and drew in cold air from the Great Lakes region. Lake–effect snows of up to 12-18 inches have fallen in the higher elevations of West Virginia through New York. Winter storm warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for these areas. This time-lapse animation uses infrared imagery from the NOAA GOES-13 satellite to track the storms’ movement from April 20-23, 2012. Nor’easters are most commonly associated with winter storms, but can occur at any time of the year.

Animation of April 2012 Nor'easter Storm

A Nor’easter storm is bringing heavy rains and snow to many parts of the Northeast U.S. The system developed as a large front moved across the U.S. on Friday, combining with a smaller convective system off the coast of Florida. As this system moved north, it intensified and drew in cold air from the Great Lakes region. Lake –effect snows of up to 12-18 inches have fallen in the higher elevations of West Virginia through New York. Winter storm warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for these areas. This time-lapse animation uses infrared imagery from the NOAA GOES-13 satellite to track the storms’ movement from April 20-23, 2012. Nor’easters are most commonly associated with winter storms, but can occur at any time of the year.

A Rainy Weekend for Much of the Eastern U.S.

Two weather systems are moving across the U.S. (seen here in this GOES-13 image taken on April 20th at 1345z)and bringing with them rains for much of the U.S...and possibly even snow. The broad system moving through the Mississippi Valley has the potential to bring snow the parts of Wisconsin as it moves eastward. The second system, off the coast of Florida, will move northwards over the weekend. As it does so, up to 5" of rain may fall in parts of New Jersey though Massachusetts. Low pressure from this system may also drive lake-effect snows into the western parts of Maryland through New York.

Disaster Managers in Mexico Keep Eyes on Popocatepetl

The National Center for Disaster Prevention in Mexico is raising alerts around the Popocatepetl Volcano southeast of Mexico City. The 5,450 meter volcano has released plumes of water vapor and ash in recent days amid a series of earthquakes and the Center has issued warnings to keep at least 7 miles away from the volcano's crater. NOAA's Volcanic Ash Advisory from April 16, 2012 states, "For several days a plume of strong sulfur dioxide content has been moving east from the summit and dissipating around 80 nautical miles downwind."

This image was taken by the Suomi NPP satellite VIIRS instrument at 2025Z on April 16, 2012. The next generation satellites such as Suomi NPP and the future Joint Polar Satellite System will provide critical data to weather models and forecasters to help maintain the accuracy and reliability of today's weather forecasts, outlooks and volcanic ash monitoring. Imagery and data from Suomi NPP is still undergoing quality assurance processes and are not yet operational products.

March global temperatures were coolest since 1999

The average global temperature for March 2012 made it the coolest March since 1999, yet the 16th warmest since record keeping began in 1880. Arctic sea ice extent during the month was below average but was the largest extent since 2008 and one of the largest March extents of the past decade. Additionally, La Niña conditions continued to weaken during March as temperatures across the equatorial Pacific Ocean warmed during the last two months. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, La Niña is expected to dissipate by the end of April 2012.

"Significant Outbreak of Strong to Violent Tornadoes"

From NOAA's National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center Public Severe Weather Outlook on April 14, 2012: "The NWS Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK, is forecasting the development of several strong to violent long-track tornadoes over parts of the central and southern Plains this afternoon and tonight. The areas most likely to experience this activity include:

Central and eastern Kansas

Central and Eastern Nebraska

Central and north-central Oklahoma

"Elsewhere, severe storms are also possible from north Texas to Iowa and southeast South Dakota and southern Minnesota.

"A warm and humid air mass will expand northward from Oklahoma to Kansas and Nebraska today in advance of a potent storm system. Multiple rounds of dangerous, severe thunderstorms are expected to impact the central and southern Plains this afternoon into tonight. Thunderstorms over parts of western Kansas into Nebraska are expected to intensify through this afternoon as they move northeastward/eastward. Additional intense storms are expected to develop near a surface low in central Nebraska this afternoon, and southward along the west edge of the humid air mass into central Kansas and western Oklahoma. Strong winds throughout the atmosphere will be very favorable for powerful supercell thunderstorms capable of producing strong to violent tornadoes as well as very large hail over long paths from this afternoon until at least midnight. Fast-moving tornadoes continuing after dark will heighten the risk to life and property. Some of the larger cities that may be affected include Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, Topeka and Wichita, Kansas, as well as Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

"State and local emergency managers are monitoring this potentially very dangerous situation. Those in the threatened area are urged to review severe weather safety rules and to listen to radio, television and NOAA Weather radio for possible watches, warnings and statements throughout the day." This image was taken by GOES East at 2045Z on April 14, 2012.

Conditions Resolving for Severe Weather

The NWS Storm Prediction Center is forecasting an increasing threat for severe thunderstorms across the central and southern Plains, with a Slight Risk this afternoon into tonight from northern Texas to Missouri. SPC cautions that any surface-based storm which does develop would be likely to rapidly organize into a large supercell storm.

The threat increases significantly on Saturday, with a High Risk of severe thunderstorms across parts of Kansas and Oklahoma. Moderate and Slight Risk areas surround the High Risk area for Saturday and stretch from extreme southwestern Minnesota to central Texas. A tornado outbreak will be likely across the central and southern plains from late Saturday afternoon lasting through the evening and into the overnight period. This image was taken by GOES East at 1845Z on April 13, 2012.

Severe Weather Potential Building Through the Plains

A trough of low pressure between two high pressure systems is driving two different air masses together, causing them to meet over the Central Plains. Dry air from over the Mojave Dessert meets with moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. Where they meet creates ideal conditions for convective thunderstorm activity. This image, using NOAA’s North America Model data output averaged from April 12-16, 2012, shows in shades of pink the areas with the highest convective available potential energy, an indicator of instability in the atmosphere or, in other words, areas in the atmosphere where the conditions are most favorable for the formation of severe storms.

Overlaid are the average wind directions for the same time period. The streamlines coming out of the central high pressure off of North Carolina can be seen sweeping into the Gulf of Mexico, picking up the highly energetic, moist air, and moving northward into the Plains. As the air moves north, is met on the west side of the front by the dry air from the Rockies. This area of confluence is under watch by the Storm Prediction Center and NOAA Satellite Analysis Branch as areas where severe storms, hail, and tornadoes may possibly form over the next few days, with the highest potential occurring on April 14th.

Wildfires Continue to Burn in Florida

For the past three days, a fire has raged along the Florida - Georgia border. The fires have spread over 14,000 acres in Columbia County, which is about 25 miles north of Lake City. Caused by lightning strikes associated with a storm system that moved through the area on April 6th, the blaze is still only about 20% contained. High winds and dry conditions are exacerbating the spread. No rain is expected in the area for the next week, though air quality conditions are expected to be impacted for much of northern Florida.

Elsewhere, the NOAA Storm Prediction Center has issued critical fire weather outlooks for parts of the Rockies, western Texas and the eastern Carolinas over the next few days.

This image, taken by the NASA Terra satellite on April 10, 2012, shows the extent of the smoke over northern Florida. NOAA's Satellite Analysis Branch uses the high resolution imagery and sensors from NASA's Terra and Aqua, along with data from the GOES, POES, Metop, and Suomi-NPP satellites to monitor fire weather across the United States.

Over 15,000 Records Broken as March 2012 Becomes Warmest on Record

According to NOAA scientists at the National Climatic Data Center, record and near-record breaking temperatures dominated the eastern two-thirds of the nation and contributed to the warmest March on record for the contiguous United States, a record that dates back to 1895. This animation shows the locations of each of the 7,755 daytime and 7,517 nighttime records (or tied records) in sequence over the 31 days in March.

Over 15,000 Records Broken as March 2012 Becomes Warmest on Record

Snow Across the Northern Rockies into Northern High Plains

A strong late season winter storm will continue to ramp up today over the Northern Rockies before the main low heads north of the border. Significant snowfall and strong winds will likely result in blizzard conditions later today and continue into the overnight hours, with the worst conditions mainly confined to the Northern Rockies. Even so, there could be a period of hazardous conditions on the adjacent High Plains as the system pulls out. Over a foot of snow is expected along the higher terrain of Montana and blizzard conditions will be possible even at lower elevations where snow will combine with strong winds to make for whiteout conditions northwest of the low track. This image was taken by GOES West at 1630Z on April 6, 2012.

Cold Snap to Hit the Northeast

Record warm temperatures throughout March prompted an early spring for many plants in the Northeast U.S. However, as a cold snap moves through the region today and into tonight (April 5-6, 2012), there is the potential for freeze and frost conditions, especially in upstate New York, New Hampshire, and Maine, where temperatures will dip down to around 22 degrees Fahrenheit. This image shows the estimated minimum temperatures for the region overnight from April 5-6, 2012, using the NOAA North American Model output from 12:00 GMT. Areas below the freezing mark of 32 degrees are colored in shades of blue.

Tornadoes Rake Northeastern Texas

The NOAA Storm Prediction Center received 18 tornado reports from the outbreak of severe weather that tore through northeast Texas on April 3, 2012. This image shows a map of areas with high rotational velocity using data from NOAA’s network of NEXRAD radar installations, processed by the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Okla. By examining these images, we can determine approximately where supercells with strong rotation tracked, some of which produced tornadoes. Some of these supercells had rotational velocity up to 180 mph, and so their signature stands out from the surrounding storm areas – and it is these features that are watched carefully for possible tornado outbreaks.

Tornadoes Touch Down in Texas

From the National Weather Service Fort Worth, Texas: "Severe thunderstorms containing very large hail, damaging winds and frequent cloud to ground lightning are continuing across the eastern two-thirds of north Texas. Strong tornadoes are possible with discrete supercell thunderstorms that occur out ahead of the main line of the storms. Greatest threat for discrete supercells will be along and east of Interstate 35. Storms are expected to end from west to east late this evening." Multiple news services are reporting tornadoes touching down and causing heavy damage in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This image was taken by GOES East at 1915Z on April 3, 2012.

Cyclone Daphne in the South Pacific

Cyclone Daphne passed between New Caledonia and Fiji on April 2, 2012 heading southeast into the South Pacific Ocean. The Fiji Meteorological Service RSMC - Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre reported that while the center of the cyclone remained southwest of Nadi, heavy rain and gale force winds are prompting severe flooding of major rivers, streams and low lying areas in the Western Division of the island. Tiny, volcanic Raoul Island is outlined on the image just west of the circulation. This image was taken by GOES West at 0300Z on April 3, 2012.

Heavy Rains Swamp Pacific Northwest

Over a week of steady rains have deluged many parts of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Though this region is accustomed to heavy springtime rains - typically averaging 5-10" during March - this year has brought higher than normal precipitation amounts. Some areas are over 8" above normal precipitation for March, as shown in this map which compares March 2012 precipitation to the average amount received during March between 1971 and 2000. Rainfall totals used in the analysis come from a suite of observations including radars, rain gauges, and satellite estimates.

Ivan Csiszar - On Detecting Fires Using Satellites

Ivan Csiszar, a physical scientist with the NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research, discusses how the satellites are used to detect wildfires across the globe. Not only can satellites detect the location of fires, but also how they spread over time. The background image uses color enhancements of Landsat satellite imagery of the 2009 Los Angeles Station Fire to show how satellite sensors can distinguish between fire targets (bright yellow), burned areas (brown), unburned areas (green), and even populated areas (purple).

Ivan Csiszar - On Detecting Fires Using Satellites

The Salty Atlantic vs. the Fresh Pacific

Though the average salt concentration of the ocean is around 35 parts per thousand, there is a lot of variability in salinity from basin to basin and across time and space. Shown here is a model of surface salinity generated by the NOAA Environmental Modeling Center. Visible are the differences between salinity in the Western Atlantic and the Eastern Pacific. This variation in surface salinity arises from differing freshwater inputs and evaporation within the respective basins. Fresh water evaporates from the warm tropical waters of the Atlantic and is transported through the atmosphere as water vapor, eventually precipitating in the Pacific. The large moisture plumes in the Pacific are also carried northward via atmospheric rivers. Because the California Current (along the U.S. west coast) is bringing cold water down from the north, it is not subject to as much evaporation as the warm waters carried northward by the Gulf Stream along the east coast. Coastal river input also drives down surface salinity – which can be seen in off Washington, parts of the Mid-Atlantic, and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Comparing Global Vegetation in 2011 and 2012

Using the normalized vegetation difference index, a measure of the greenness of the planet, its possible to compare the onset of springtime from one year to another. In this image, the week of March 24, 2012 is compared to 2011. Areas that are greener in 2012 than 2011 are colored green, areas less green than 2011 are colored in brown. A full global rendering can be seen here. While the Northeast U.S. bloomed early this year, droughts in the Southeast are creating conditions less favorable for vegetative growth. Much of Europe is far behind in the relative greenness compared to 2011. The Horn of Africa, having received more fall rains than in 2011 is fairing much better and thus their drought outlook is not as severe as in the previous year.

Wildfires Across the U.S. Plains and South

Active wildfires can be seen in this image using data from NOAA's satellite-based Fire Hazard Mapping System. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center is also monitoring many areas of the U.S. Plains, which are under critical to extreme fire weather advisories. The thermal detectors on NOAA's satellites provide pinpoint identification and mapping of wildfires in even the most remote areas.

GOES-15 Resumes GOES West Schedule

On March 21, 2012, GOES-15's on-board diagnostics detected a problem and the satellite promptly put itself in safe mode. Shortly thereafter, NOAA Satellite Operations directed GOES-13 to begin full disk coverage every half hour to maintain an eye on the west coast as recovery plans for GOES-15 commenced.

NOAA's satellites provide the bulk of the information for generating weather models, advisories, and warnings to the nation and world. Maintaining the operations and data acquisition from these satellites is a 24/7 process. NOAA Satellite Operations monitors the health and status of the Nation's environmental satellites and responds quickly with in-depth assessment of satellite and ground system anomalies.

Diagnosing and fixing a spacecraft 22,300 miles from the nearest screwdriver takes meticulous contingency planning during the design phase and a dedicated staff committed to comprehensive training during the operational life of a satellite. The resiliency of NOAA's satellite systems also rests on overlapping missions and spacecraft capable of covering the workload of its partners.

GOES-15 is now back in operational mode supporting the weather community. This image, the first after GOES West coverage was restored, was taken at 1730Z on March 23, 2012.

Warm Temperatures Cause Rapid Snow Melt in New England

The rapid arrival of springtime temperatures throughout New England is causing an equally rapid melt of the snowpack throughout the Adirondack Mountains in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. This image shows the total snow melt from March 1-21, 2012, using data from the NOAA National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center.

Persistent Low Moving Into the Northern Plains

An upper level low moving from the Southern to Northern Plains will bring widespread precipitation across much of the central U.S. Heavy rains with embedded thunderstorms will continue to develop ahead and along the associated cold front. The heaviest rains are expected over the Lower to Mid-Mississippi Valley. This image was taken by GOES East at 1445Z on March 21, 2012.

Tim Schmit - On the Evolution of the GOES Satellites

Tim Schmit, a research scientist with the NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research based at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, discusses how the GOES satellite has evolved over the years from a simple camera in space to a complex suite of sensors for monitoring severe weather and forecasting weather conditions.

Tim Schmit - On the Evolution of the GOES Satellites

Widespread Severe Thunderstorms Expected Over The Southern Plains

The NOAA National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK, is forecasting the development of widespread, damaging winds, very large hail and tornadoes over parts of the southern plains today and tonight, March 19. The areas most likely to experience this activity include far southwest Arkansas, southeast Oklahoma and central into northeast Texas.

A powerful upper-level storm system over the inter-mountain west will shift eastward into the great plains today in conjunction with a surface cold front. A line of severe thunderstorms has developed since early this morning ahead of the cold front, and these storms are expected to continue across parts of Oklahoma and northern/western Texas with associated threats for damaging winds and large hail.

To the south of this thunderstorm activity, the interaction of moist and moderately unstable air mass with strong low and upper-level jet stream winds will create an environment favorable for intense thunderstorms, including supercells, across parts of central and northern Texas into southeast Oklahoma later today. Latest weather model data indicate that multiple waves of thunderstorms will be possible from this afternoon through tonight across this geographical area. Very large hail to baseball size or larger and widespread, damaging winds appear likely, along with the potential for a few tornadoes. This image was taken by GOES East at 1545Z on March 19, 2012.

Heat Records Fall Across the Country

Over the past week, much of the U.S. felt an early arrival of springtime temperatures. Over the 7 day period from March 9-15, 2012 2,441 heat records fell across the country. Nine hundred and ninety nine of those were nighttime high temperatures, and an amazing 1,803 were daytime high temperatures. The relative location and frequency of the record-breaking temperatures are shown in this image, where red colors indicate daytime records and yellows indicate nighttime records. In co-occurring locations, the daytime heat records frequency is shown.

February 2012 Global Climate Analysis

The globe experienced its 22nd warmest February since record keeping began in 1880. Arctic sea ice extent was the fifth lowest extent on record for February at 6.9 percent below average. Additionally, La N ña conditions continued to weaken during February. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, La Niña is expected to dissipate by the end of April.

February 2012 was the coolest February on record since 2008. However, February 2012 also marks the 324th consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. The last month with below average temperatures was February 1985.

This map shows areas that are above or below the average temperature for February. Areas warmer than average are colored red; areas cooler are colored blue.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Lua Bears Down on Western Australia

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology's Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre, Perth is issuing Flash Tropical Cyclone Advice on Severe Tropical Cyclone Lua. A Cyclone WARNING is current for coastal areas from Cape Leveque to Dampier, including Port Hedland, Karratha, Dampier and Broome, as well as inland parts of the eastern Pilbara and far western Kimberley, including Telfer, Newman and Jigalong. A Cyclone WATCH is current for parts of the central and eastern inland Pilbara, the eastern Gascoyne, far northern Goldfields and the far western Interior including Three Rivers, Meekatharra and Wiluna. Destructive winds to 160 kilometres per hour are possible between Port Hedland and Bidyadanga after sunrise Saturday extending to the inland eastern Pilbara later in the day. Very Destructive winds up to 230 kilometres per hour are forecast near the cyclone centre. This image was taken by MTSAT-2R at 0830Z on March 16, 2012.

Tropical Cyclone Lua Sets Sights on Port Hedland, Australia

Tropical Cyclone Lua in the Indian Ocean should complete its loop to the east and consolidate into a well-defined low-level circulation center. Lua is expected to move southeast over the next few days and make landfall in Australia just east of Port Hedland on the west coast of Western Australia near 0600Z on March 17 with winds sustained near 80 knots, gusting to 100 knots with significant forward speed. This image was taken by MTSAT-2R at 0530Z on March 15, 2012.

Strong Winds and Heavy Snows for Western Washington

A front is moving into western Washington state today bringing strong and potentially damaging winds to the coast and north interior. Very high surf of 25 to 30 feet will affect the coast. Windy conditions are expected across all of western Washington. Heavy snows are expected in the mountains with up to one and a half feet possible by the end of the day. This image was taken by GOES West at 1830Z on March 12, 2012.

Heavy Rains Across Southern U.S.

Over the past two days, parts of the South have been deluged by a stalled system that has brought up to 7" of rain to the area. Locations with the highest rainfall totals appear in blue in this image, which uses data from the NOAA Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service for March 7-9, 2012. Heavy precipitation is expected to continue through Saturday in this area before pushing east.

NOAA Satellite Operations

The Nation runs on NOAA satellites.

NOAA's satellites provide the bulk of the information for generating weather models, advisories, and warnings to the nation and world. Maintaining the operations and data acquisition from these satellites is a 24/7 process. This video was filmed at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland along with the Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station where the satellite command, control, and data distribution systems are located.

NOAA Satellite Operations

The Nation runs on NOAA satellites.

NOAA's satellites provide the bulk of the information for generating weather models, advisories, and warnings to the nation and world. Maintaining the operations and data acquisition from these satellites is a 24/7 process. This video was filmed at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland along with the Wallops Command and Data Acquisition center where the satellite command, control, and data distribution systems are located.

Solar Storm Eruption: Coronal Mass Ejection Headed for Earth

On Tuesday, March 6, 2012, a large solar flare erupted from the Sun. Data from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center suggest that the coronal mass ejection - the blast of plasma from the Sun’s surface - could reach Earth by early Thursday morning (March 8, 2012).

This animation shows the output from the WSA-Enlil space weather model for solar winds, developed in partnership with NASA and academia and run operationally by NOAA. The white through yellow and orange plumes indicate the density of the coronal mass ejection plasma as it heads towards Earth (orange is the highest density). The sun is centered as an orange circle. The size of Earth is represented in relative scale – a small dot compared to the size of the Sun or the coronal mass ejection.

Geomagnetic storms from these kinds of space weather events can affect the power grid, navigation systems and other technologies. NOAA provides space weather forecasting for the nation, and forecasters at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center are issuing updates regularly. The impressive flare from Tuesday evening and a corresponding radiation storm are already triggering high-frequency radio outages at Earth's poles, which could last a day or more, and possible temporary outages on parts of the day-lit Earth.

Hear the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center’s Robert Rutledge describe the different kinds of space weather in his “Big Picture” segment linked here.

Solar Storm Eruption: Coronal Mass Ejection Headed for Earth

Hear the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center’s Robert Rutledge describe the different kinds of space weather in his “Big Picture” segment linked here.

NPP VIIRS image of the March 2, 2012 Midwest Tornados

This image from the Suomi NPP VIIRS instrument shows the overshooting cloud tops and intense storms associated with the devastating tornado outbreak in the evening of March 2 and morning of March 3. The imagery was acquired between 1751Z and 1758Z on March 2, 2012 over Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. Current operational POES data was critical for issuing watches and advisories days in advance of this outbreak.

Polar-orbiting satellites track the subtle changes in the environment that can trigger potentially deadly weather conditions, from tornadoes to tropical storms. The next generation satellites such as Suomi NPP and the future Joint Polar Satellite System will provide critical data to weather models and forecasters to help maintain the accuracy and reliability of today's weather forecasts and outlooks. Imagery and data from Suomi NPP is still undergoing quality assurance processes and are not yet operational products.

More Severe Weather May Affect U.S. Tomorrow

The NOAA Storm Prediction Center is keeping an eye on a system that is anticipated to produce some potentially severe weather later in the day on Friday, March 2, 2012. Shown here is the North American Model output for March 3, 2012, at 0z (7:00 p.m. EST on March 2). There is a high probability of thunderstorm activity stretching along a belt from the Gulf of Mexico through Ohio. SPC’s Day 2 Convective Outlook for March 2, 2012 (issued on March 1), indicates a moderate risk of convective activity (i.e., thunderstorms development, with strong winds and possible hail and tornadoes) from for Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Though the term “moderate risk” may not seem all that worrisome, such advisories from SPC are quite strong and should be taken with great care.

NOAA Radar Tracks Tornadoes in Midwest

NOAA's NEXRAD system of radars deployed throughout the United States provide meteorologists the most up-to-date information on the ground regarding severe weather, especially when it comes to identifying potential tornado outbreaks. By analyzing both the rotational velocity of the storm systems (the spinning of tornadoes has high rotational velocity compared to the surrounding storms) and presence of hail, scientists at the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory have developed a product that approximates the track of tornadoes, shown here for the February 29, 2012 storms in Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas. At least four people have been killed and many others injured as these storms swept through the Midwest early in the morning. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center has issued advisories for Tennessee and the surrounding areas for the remainder of the day. Although the tracks shown in this image are not actual confirmed ground tracks, they are helpful in identifying features associated with tornadoes, preparing communities for such potentially deadly outbreaks, and emergency response once a severe weather outbreak has passed.

Wet Weather Envelops the Eastern U.S.

From the Carolinas to Pennsylvania, clear skies dominate the Appalachian and Eastern U.S. Only a few tufts of cloud can be seen in southwestern Virginia from this GOES-13 image taken on February 28, 2012 at 1545z. However, these sunny conditions will not last long. A large belt of moisture is sweeping across the U.S., currently bringing a mix of snow and rain to the Plains. The system is expected to move eastward, bringing precipitation to large parts of the country over the next 48 hours.

High Winds Creating Fire Hazards in the Southwest

The NOAA Storm Prediction Center has issued critical fire weather alerts for many areas in the southwestern U.S. from Arizona through Kansas. High winds are generating extremely dry conditions, ripe for wildfire outbreaks and rapid spreading. This image shows the maximum sustained wind speeds expected over the next 24 hours (starting 1800z on February 27, 2012) using output from the NOAA North American Model.

Tornado Watches for most of Virginia and North Carolina

Thunderstorms are beginning to form over Virginia and North Carolina as winds pick up speed. Wind Advisories are posted throughout the region along with Severe Storm and Tornado Watches. Gusts over 45 miles per hour during the evening will make movement difficult in northeast Virginia and Maryland. This image was taken by GOES East at 1915Z on February 24, 2012.

Severe Weather Possible from Mid-Atlantic to Florida Panhandle

Severe thunderstorms are possible from the eastern Gulf of Mexico region to the mid-Atlantic coast today. A band of very strong jet stream winds associated with the disturbance now over Illinois will sweep east-northeast across the central and southern Appalachians later today and off the mid-Atlantic coast tonight as the associated surface low intensifies over the lower Great Lakes. The cold front trailing southwest from the low will accelerate east across the Appalachians later today, serving as a focus for thunderstorm development in the unusually warm and increasingly humid air ahead of the front from Alabama and Georgia to the Chesapeake Bay region. Other storms may form east of the front as daytime heating further enhances instability. The combination of increasing warmth and moisture beneath strengthening winds in the low to mid troposphere will be favorable for bands and clusters of thunderstorms that could produce swaths of damaging wind and possibly a few tornadoes. This threat should be greatest during the mid to late afternoon from parts of South Carolina northward into Virginia, but more isolated severe storms could occur from parts of Mississippi, Alabama, north Florida and Georgia to parts of Maryland and Delaware. The storms and their associated severe threat should diminish early tonight as the front moves off the mid and south Atlantic coast. This image was taken by GOES East at 1445Z on February 24, 2012.

Storm in the Mediterranean Captured by POES Satellite

The cyclonic, counter-clockwise spin of a low pressure system over the Mediterranean Sea can be seen in this image from the NOAA-19 AVHRR satellite sensor taken on February 23, 2012 at 1218z. This system has brought up to 4" of rain over the last 24 hours to coastal areas in Europe and Africa. NOAA-19 is the last of the POES line of polar-orbiting satellites run by NOAA. Its successor, the Suomi-NPP satellite, was launched late last year and is currently undergoing its check-out phase as the sensors are gradually turned on.

Algal Blooms in Lake Erie

Algae bloom and churn in Lake Erie, shown in this image from the NASA Terra satellite’s MODIS sensor taken on February 20, 2012. Many of the greenish colors in the Lake are associated with algal blooms, whereas the murky yellow/brown colors are probably associated more with sediment input from the river mouth to the west. NOAA is engaged in monitoring phytoplankton levels in the Lake along with assessing whether these blooms are harmful to human and fish species, especially since these winter blooms in Lake Erie may trigger impacts much later in the year. Nutrient input into Lake Erie is magnified due to its relatively shallow depth, making ideal conditions for phytoplankton blooms. However, as winter turns into spring and summer, the waters warm and the phytoplankton die, the bacteria involved in decaying the phytoplankton shells consume large amounts of oxygen in the Lake, creating hypoxic “dead zones.”

Surface algae are especially apparent this year, as most of Lake Erie never froze over – a stark contrast to the ice conditions of last year. Algae-rich waters can also be seen flowing along the Niagara River into Lake Ontario, which is otherwise mostly devoid of large algal blooms. Blooms in Lake Ontario are mostly constrained to the shallow coastal areas near the Niagara input, as opposed to the deep offshore zones.

Measuring the Ocean's Heat Energy

The National Oceanographic Data Center has updated their ocean heat and salinity data products to include data from 2011. Shown here are comparison images from 1970 and 2011 for global ocean heat content (OHC) between the surface and 700 meters (2,296 ft) depth. The OHC analysis uses data from ships and buoys to estimate the total amount of heat energy contained in the ocean. Because this is an integrated measure of heat energy, joules are used as the unit. Since 1955, the global ocean heat content has increased at a rate of about 4x10²¹ joules per year. That increase is equal to about 1x10¹⁵ kilowatt-hours of energy. The U.S. Dept. of Energy estimates that the average U.S. household uses 1x10⁴ kilowatt-hours per year, which means that the ocean gains the equivalent of 8x the amount of energy necessary to power all U.S. households per year (not including the energy at depths greater than 700 meters).

Hurricane-Strength Storm Over Alaska

The Bering Sea is known for its strong winter storms, bringing high seas and heavy precipitation to areas from Alaska to the Northwest U.S. One such storm is captured here in this image using the NOAA AVHRR sensor on the Metop-A satellite, taken on February 14, 2012 at 0700z. The polar orbit of Metop-A, a NOAA partnership with the European Space Agency to provide operational weather satellite coverage, is particularly important for monitoring such systems in the high latitudes where coverage from the GOES satellite is limited. The data from Metop-A are used in NOAA weather models, such as the output of mean sea level pressure from the NOAA North America Model. This image for February 14th at 1200z shows the extremely low pressure for of the storm. The central pressure is estimated at 952 millibars. To put it into context, Hurricane Irene reached 942 millibars at its maximum strength with 120 mph winds. Lower central pressures are indicative of more intense storms with higher wind speeds.

AVHRR

Wintry Mix Expected Across the U.S.

Scattered snow showers are in the forecast over the central Plains and mid-Mississippi Valley today. Mostly light snow will limit accumulations expected across the region; however, heavy snow is possible in some areas, especially across Iowa, Missouri and Illinois. Hazardous conditions could develop to the south of the snow, across portions of the central and lower Mississippi Valley, where periods of sleet and freezing rain are likely. This image was taken by GOES East at 1745Z on February 13, 2012.

One-Two Snow Punch for the U.S.

This merged GOES East and West visible image shows the two distinct weather systems predicted to bring snow and other precipitation to much of the U.S. over the weekend. The first system is currently moving on-shore from the Pacific and will likely generate snow throughout the Rockies. The second system is moving up from the Gulf of Mexico across the eastern U.S. While areas south of the Appalachians will see heavy rains, areas north of the mountains may see winter weather over the weekend - with the heaviest snows concentrated around the Ohio River Valley.

Satellites Monitor La Niña in the Pacific

NOAA's POES satellites measure the temperature of the ocean surface - one of the primary indicators of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (the climate cycle that changes between El Niño and La Niña every few years). This time-series shows the evolution of the most recent La Niña, which is currently weakening in intensity.

Satellites Monitor La Niña in the Pacific

U.S. in for a Dry Spring Season

The NOAA Climate Prediction Center released its drought outlook for February - April 30, 2012 last week, and the outlook is not good for much of the southern and western U.S. Shown in this color-coded map, much of the bottom half of the U.S. will experience persistent or intensifying drought conditions. The lower than normal snow pack throughout the Dakotas and Minnesota will also create drought conditions in these areas - a welcomed reprieve from last year's record Missouri and Mississippi River floods, but bad news for farmers in the Plains. Only small parts of Oregon and Washington are expected to improve from their current drought conditions. There is still no relief in sight for Texas, which has been plagued by its worst drought in history for more than a year now.

Dust Storms Reach Across the Atlantic Ocean

Dust blowing southwestward this morning off the African coast from Mauritania forms vortexes around the Canary Islands. This image was taken by GOES East at 1445Z on February 7, 2012.

Tropical Cyclone Jasmine Strengthening near New Caledonia

Tropical Cyclone Jasmine is strengthening in the Coral Sea west of New Caledonia, on course eastward to pass north of Grande Terre on Tuesday. Winds are expected to be near 80 knots sustained as the storm tracks very close to Tafea Province. This image was taken by MTSAT-2R at 0630Z on February 6, 2012.

Three Storm Systems Tracked by GOES Satellite

Merging both GOES East and West imagery, three weather systems are shown spanning the U.S. To the far west, a stationary system is currently dumping up to two feet of snow over the Denver region. In the South and Plains, a line of severe storms stretches from Texas to Missouri. Over the Atlantic the remnants of an extratropical storm move out to sea. Data from the GOES-15 and -13 satellites were acquired on February 3, 2012 at 1715z.

The Groundhog Says 6 More Weeks of Winter, But What Does NOAA Predict?

Although Punxsutawney Phil has arguable climate forecasting skill, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center usually fares far better in seasonal outlooks. On January 19, 2012, they issued the February-April seasonal outlook for precipitation and temperature. Whereby the groundhog predicts 6 more weeks of winter (generally speaking), the CPC temperature outlook shows much of the southern U.S. in warmer than normal conditions. The shades of color indicate the percent chance that the area will be warmer than normal. Gray areas indicate equal chances that the area will be warmer or cooler than normal. Only the northwestern U.S. shows any major likelihood of being colder than normal.

Unseasonably Warm Temperatures Across Most of the U.S.

On the last day of January, many people throughout the U.S. are enjoying unusually warm temperatures. Shown in this image, using data from today's NOAA Rapid Update Cycle model, are the high temperatures across the U.S. Many areas are experiencing temperatures well above 50 or 60 degrees Fahrenheit, even in far northern locales.

Cyclone Iggy Churns off the West Coast of Australia

Tropical Cyclone Iggy, located approximately 215 nautical miles west-northwest of Learmonth, Australia, has tracked south-southwestward at 6 knots over the past few hours. A developing subtropical ridge may move Iggy to the east over the next day or so, into an area of increasing sea surface temperatures. The intensity may increase in response, but only for 24 hours or so as the seas surface temperatures quickly decrease after that. This image is from MTSAT-2R at 0730Z on January 30, 2012.

The Halloween Storm, Also Known as "The Perfect Storm" - 1991

The conditions were "perfect" for a monstrous storm, a meteorological time bomb that would explode in the northern Atlantic Ocean creating waves ten stories high and imperiling the New England fleet.

Bob Case, a NOAA National Weather Service meteorologist at the Boston, MA forecast office: "It was an unprecedented set of circumstances. A strong disturbance associated with a cold front moved along the U.S.- Canadian border on October 27 and passed through New England pretty much without incident. At the same time, a huge high pressure system was forecast to build over southeast Canada. When a low pressure system along the front moved into the Maritimes southeast of Nova Scotia, it began to intensify due to the cold dry air introduced from the north. These circumstances alone, could have created a strong storm. But then, like throwing gasoline on a fire, a dying hurricane Grace delivered immeasurable tropical energy to create the perfect storm."

The imagery in the movie was taken by GOES-7 between 0500Z on October 28, 1991 and 2330Z November 4, 1991. On April 12, 2012 GOES-7 was retired from service through a final burn from its booster, which moved it approximately 186 miles (300 km) above its operational geostationary orbit to a graveyard orbit, so that it will not interfere with other satellites. The final maneuver to adjust the spin rate of the spacecraft and deplete all remaining fuel happened at 2 a.m. EDT April 12, 2012. The communications packages were turned off then and the satellite powered down. GOES-7 is the only satellite in the history of NOAA’s geostationary program to serve both as the GOES-East and GOES-West spacecraft in the course of normal operations.

Animation of April 2012 Nor'easter Storm

A Nor’easter storm is bringing heavy rains and snow to many parts of the Northeast U.S. The system developed as a large front moved across the U.S. on Friday, combining with a smaller convective system off the coast of Florida. As this system moved north, it intensified and drew in cold air from the Great Lakes region. Lake –effect snows of up to 12-18 inches have fallen in the higher elevations of West Virginia through New York. Winter storm warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for these areas. This time-lapse animation uses infrared imagery from the NOAA GOES-13 satellite to track the storms’ movement from April 20-23, 2012. Nor’easters are most commonly associated with winter storms, but can occur at any time of the year.

Over 15,000 Records Broken as March 2012 Becomes Warmest on Record

Paul Schlatter - On Detecting Tornadoes with Dual-Polarization Radar

Paul Schlatter, a meteorologist with the NOAA National Weather Service, discusses how the introduction of dual-polarization radar technology is helping improve the identification of tornadoes, and improve NOAA's ability to issues warnings to the affected areas. Dual-polarization radars upgrades are being installed around the country, and should be completed by mid 2013.

Ivan Csiszar - On Detecting Fires Using Satellites

Tim Schmit - On the Evolution of the GOES Satellites

Debris from Japan Tsunami Travels Across the Pacific

After the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, tons of debris was swept into the Pacific. Much of it is buoyant enough to float on the surface and can be moved around by small scale currents and large scale circulation patterns, such as the North Pacific Gyre. The gyre, bounded by the Kuroshio Current on the west, California Current on the east, and Equatorial Current on the south tends to entrain debris in the center of the Pacific basin, creating what is commonly known as the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” Though the bulk of the marine debris remains in the ocean for years in an area north of Hawaii, individual pieces are continually washing up on the continental and island shores that border the basin. NOAA’s Marine Debris Program leads efforts to track and remove much of this existing trash, and is currently assessing the tsunami debris.

Scientists as NOAA’s Earths System Research Laboratory developed the debris dispersion model, shown here. Using five years of historical weather patterns, the model is used to approximate how debris will circulate across the basin.

NOAA Satellite Operations

The Nation runs on NOAA satellites.

NOAA's satellites provide the bulk of the information for generating weather models, advisories, and warnings to the nation and world. Maintaining the operations and data acquisition from these satellites is a 24/7 process. This video was filmed at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland along with the Wallops Command and Data Acquisition center where the satellite command, control, and data distribution systems are located.

Solar Storm Eruption: Coronal Mass Ejection Headed for Earth

Hear the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center’s Robert Rutledge describe the different kinds of space weather in his “Big Picture” segment linked here.

GOES Rapid Scan Imagery: March 2, 2012 Severe Weather

On March 2, 2012, NOAA put its GOES-13 satellite into rapid scan mode, meaning that imagery was taken every 5 minutes to carefully monitor the developing severe weather system in the Midwest U.S. This animation shows the visible imagery from the morning and afternoon of March 2nd. In the 1km visible imagery, the overshoooting cloud tops associated with severe weather and tornado reports can be seen. Even at dawn, signs of severe weather were present in the satellite imagery. Because visible satellite imagery is only available in the daylight hours, the cloud imagery fades in from east to west as the sun rises over the land.

Al Powell - On the Impact of Climate Shifts on Ecosystems

Al Powell, Director of NOAA's Center for Satellite Applications and Research, discusses how by analyzing global climate data they are finding connections between changes in fish populations and abrupt shifts in atmospheric pressure, wind patterns, and oceanic temperatures.

Pamela Grothe - Tsunami Digital Elevation Modeling

Pamela Grothe, from the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center, discusses how they build digital elevation models to help predict how a tsunami wave might inundate the coast during impact.

Satellites Monitor La Niña in the Pacific

Steve Ackerman - On Satellite Research and Aircraft Hazards

Steve Ackerman, Director of the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses using research satellites to identify aviation hazards as a prelude to operational products.

Chris Vaccaro - Reflecting on the Joplin, MO Tornado

Chris Vaccaro, Director of Public Affairs at NOAA's National Weather Service, was in the region during the time of the tornado strike in Joplin, MO. He reflects on visiting Joplin soon after the tornado passed through.

Robert Rutledge - On Monitoring Space Weather

Robert Rutledge, a forecaster at the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, discusses how NOAA monitors space weather events, models their impact on Earth, and works with commercial sectors to protect lives and property.

Real-time output of the WSA-Enlil space model can be seen at the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center's project website.

David Brown - On the Record-Breaking Texas Drought

David Brown, NOAA Regional Climate Services Director for the Southern Region, discusses the exceptional 2011 Texas drought.

Stan Benjamin - Next Generation Weather Models

Stan Benjamin, a meteorologist with the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, discusses the next generation High Resolution Rapid Refresh model and its application to severe weather forecasting. Stan Benjamin, a meteorologist with the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, discusses the next generation High Resolution Rapid Refresh model and its application to severe weather forecasting.

You can also learn more about the HRRR model, as well as see current model imagery at the project's website.

Jake Crouch - Reviewing the Climate of 2011

Jake Crouch, a climate scientist from the NOAA National Climatic Data Center, discusses temperature differences in the regions of the world during 2011.

Bill Read - On Predicting Hurricane Paths

Bill Read, the Director of the NOAA National Hurricane Center, discusses the challenges and improvements in hurricane forecast models during Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Jim Wilczak - On Improving Models for Wind Energy

Jim Wilczak, a research meteorologist at the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, discusses contributions of the Wind Forecast Improvement Project to wind energy development.

More information about the Wind Forecast Improvement Project can be found on the project's website or from this YouTube video.

Felix Kogan - On Monitoring Malaria Using Satellites

Felix Kogan, a research scientist at the NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research, talks about using satellites to identify environmental conditions that promote the spread of malaria in Africa.

Ken Graham - On Tropical Storm Lee

Ken Graham, Meteorologist-in-Charge of the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Slidell, LA, talks about forecasting the slow course of Tropical Storm Lee and its implications for emergency managers.

Robert Ricks - On the Ground During Katrina

Robert Ricks, a NOAA National Weather Service meteorologist based in Slidell, LA, shares his recollections of the impact of Hurricane Katrina.

Louis Uccellini - On the February 2010 "Snowmageddon"

Louis Uccellini, Director of National Weather Service, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, discusses numerical weather prediction during the February 2010 mid-Atantic snow event known popularly as Snowmageddon.

Mike Pavolonis - Detecting Volcanic Ash Using Satellite Data

Mike Pavolonis, a scientist with the NOAA/NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research, discusses using satellite data to detect volcanic ash.

Sinead Farrell on Mapping the Arctic Ocean

Sinead Farrell, a scientist with the NOAA Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry and the University of Maryland, discusses using satellite data to map the Arctic Ocean surface and currents.

The 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season in 4.5 minutes

The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season officially ended on Nov. 30 and produced a total of 19 tropical storms of which seven became hurricanes, including three major hurricanes. This level of activity matched NOAA’s predictions and continues the trend of active hurricane seasons that began in 1995. Surprisingly, none of the first eight tropical storms reached hurricane status, a record since reliable reports started in 1851. Hurricane Irene's effects in the Caribbean and the United States led to 43 deaths and accounted for the bulk of this season's damage at $7.3 billion. Irene was the first landfalling hurricane in New Jersey in 108 years. Hurricane Katia had far-reaching effects causing severe weather in Northern Ireland and Scotland and power blackouts as far east as Saint Petersburg in Russia. Tropical Storm Lee caused major flooding in Pennsylvania, New York and into the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario. The strongest storm of the season was Ophelia, which reached category four strength in the Atlantic Ocean east of Bermuda. An integral part of NOAA’s ability to monitor and predict hurricane formation and movement is the data that is provided by the GOES satellite, with its visible imagery, infrared sensors, and sounding capabilities. This animation merges both the visible and infrared imagery taken by the GOES East (GOES-13) satellite every 30 minutes over the Northern Hemisphere from June 1 – November 30, 2011.

The Evolution of La Niña in 2011

La Niña conditions in the Pacific have waxed and waned since the summer of 2010. After fading this past spring, La Niña returned to the eastern Pacific in late summer and is forecast by NOAA's Climate Predicition Center to continue through winter. La Niña helped enhance this year's Atlantic hurricane season and will also influence winter weather across the U.S., including below-average precipitation in the drought-stricken South.

La Niña is most commonly associated with cooler than normal sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Pacific. This animation shows daily analysis of the sea surface temperatures from the NOAA AVHRR satellite sensor over the course of 2011. Values are shown as the temperature relative to the 1971-2000 average, where blue is cooler than average, red is warmer than average. The animation starts out showing a strong La Niña, but by May, warmer than normal waters appear in the equatorial Pacific - characteristic of an emerging El Niño. However, the El Niño did not gather strength, and towards the end of the animation the cooler than normal conditions associated with the current La Niña can be seen to reappear.

Nation's Newest Environmental Satellite Launched

The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California this morning at 2:48am. NPP is a NASA Earth-observing satellite and features five new instruments that will collect more detailed information about Earth’s atmosphere, land and oceans. NASA will use NPP as a research mission, while NOAA will use the data for short and long-term weather forecasting and environmental monitoring. NPP will orbit Earth every 102 minutes, flying 512 miles above the surface, monitoring atmospheric conditions below. The first of the NPP data will become available in about 90 days and begin replacing data from the NOAA-19 satellite in the afternoon orbit, passing over the United States during full daylight hours. NPP is also the bridge that links NOAA’s current polar-orbiting satellites to the next generation of advanced spacecraft called the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), which is currently set to launch in late 2016, pending funding. NPP will test how the new instruments perform before they are formally added to the JPSS satellites. NOAA’s Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Md., will process and distribute the data from NPP.

The Atmosphere Spirals Over the Midwest

The GOES-13 satellite’s infrared water vapor imagery illustrates just how dynamic and beautiful the atmosphere can be when looking at it from 22,000 miles away. Shown here are the last four days of imagery (September 23-27, 2011). This mid-latitude cyclone has spiraled seemingly in the same location for 96 hours, also called a retro-grade low. The system should decay over the next day, bringing much needed relief to the cloud-beleaguered residents on the ground throughout the Midwest. The GOES water vapor imagery allows us to see not only the moist air in the atmosphere, but also the dry air (clear areas), some associated with the path of the jet stream.

Prolonged Drought Continuing Across Southern Plains

The impact of La Niña on weather and climate is being played out in Texas, where hot temperatures and low rainfall have combined to create some of the worst droughts in the state’s history. Historically, during La Niña years the Southern U.S. receives lower than normal precipitation. The NOAA Climate Prediction Center recently announced that La Niña has resumed in the Pacific, and as a result, the dry conditions in Texas are not expected to improve over the next few months.

Drought often manifests in poor vegetation health, and such changes can be detected by satellites. NOAA is able to approximate drought intensity by creating vegetation health indices based on moisture. In this animation, the evolution of the drought in Texas and the other Plains states is shown from January – September 2011. Areas with abnormally dry to exceptionally dry conditions are illustrated as orange colored areas.

NOAA Accurately Predicted Irene's Path 4 Days in Advance

Four days before Hurricane Irene struck eastern North Carolina and tracked northward, NOAA's National Hurricane Center accurately projected the storm's path. Even before then, forecasts showed that Irene would threaten the East Coast. This satellite animation shows Irene's progress across the western Atlantic and how it followed the National Hurricane Center's track issued at 11pm ET on Tuesday, August 23 (Advisory # 15).

GOES Satellite Tracks Hurricane Irene

Updated August 29, 2011:

Over the past week, Hurricane Irene has battered Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, North Carolina, and the major metropolitan areas of the Northeast U.S. At peak intensity, Irene reached Category 3 hurricane status with sustained winds of 125 mph.

This animation of visible and infrared imagery taken every 30 minutes by the GOES-13 satellite shows Irene’s evolution from her birth as a tropical wave on August 19th , the landfall events in the Caribbean, North Carolina, and New York, and the eventual dissipation on August 29, 2011.

High Dew Point Makes Heat Wave Miserable

High humidity along with hot temperatures is making this week's heat wave in the central and eastern U.S. especially unhealthy. The dew point temperature is a measure of how much moisture is in the air. With dew points in the 60s, the air may be considered uncomfortable and in the 70s it becomes oppressive by diminishing a body's ability to sweat. In only rare cases will the dew points reach the 80s in the U.S. This movie shows average daily dew point data from the NAM model from July 18 through July 24, 2011.

Heat Wave Sweeps Across the U.S.

A shroud of high pressure has taken a foot-hold over the U.S. from the Plains to the Northeast, and with it has brought temperatures well into the 90's and 100's for half of the country. This animation shows the predicted daily high temperatures from NOAA's high resolution North American Model (NAM) from July 13-21, 2011.

From Space to You

NOAA satellites are observing the earth 24 hours a day to provide data that support the weather forecasts and warnings that Americans benefit from every day. This visualization provides a basic overview of that process - how data and information flows from out in space and into your life.

Pacific Transitions from La Niña to Neutral Phase

The Pacific basin undergoes a natural warming and cooling cycle every few years called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO. Changes from the warmer than normal (El Niño) to cooler than normal (La Niña) phases affect seasonal weather patterns across the globe, especially in coastal Pacific areas where wind and rainfall patterns are greatly altered. Recent analysis by NOAA has shown that as of May 2011, the Pacific transitioned from La Niña to a neutral phase. How quickly the Pacific transitions from neutral to El Niño remains to be seen. However, an area of warmer than normal temperatures can be seen in sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTa) data, an indication of an emerging El Niño. SSTa shows areas that are cooler or warmer than normal, and is one of the primary datasets used by scientists to assess ENSO.

This animation starts on March 1, 2011 and runs until June 7, 2011, showing the daily SSTa imagery generated from the NOAA Optimum Interpolation SST product, which uses a variety of satellite and buoy observations. Note how the equatorial regions transition from blue to white and then red colors as the spring progresses. SSTa data can be monitored in real-time by accessing the global imagery here.

The Next Generation of NOAA: A Science on a Sphere production

From the Next Generation Strategic Plan: NOAA's mission is central to many of today's greatest challenges. Climate change. Severe weather. Natural and human-induced disasters. Declining biodiversity. Ocean acidification. Threatened or degraded ocean and coastal resources. These challenges convey a common message: human health, prosperity, and well-being depend upon the health and resilience of coupled natural and social ecosystems. Managing this interdependence requires timely and usable information to make decisions and the science that underpins our knowledge of these systems. NOAA's mission of science, service, and stewardship is directed to a vision of the future where societies and their ecosystems are healthy and resilient in the face of sudden or prolonged change.

This production was created for use by the NOAA Science on a Sphere, and so it is presented here in its intended viewing perspective. Audio is included.

Satellites Capture Record U.S. Tornado Activity

The U.S. experienced unprecedented tornado activity throughout the month of April 2011. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center received 875 tornado reports during that month alone; 625 have been confirmed as tornadoes, so far. Many of these storms were concentrated during 7 different major outbreaks, mostly in the Southern U.S. The largest of these outbreaks occurred during April 27-28, leaving over 300 people dead as over 180 storms were reported from Texas to Virginia.

This animation shows the GOES-East infrared imagery from April 1-30, along with the locations of each tornado that formed during the time (symbolized as red dots). Though tornadoes cannot actually be seen by GOES, these satellites are instrumental in being able to detect the conditions associated with their formation. As the resolution of GOES has increased with each successive satellite series, so have the warning times for tornadoes. The future GOES-R satellite will provide even higher resolution and storm prediction capability, especially with the use of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper sensor. The actual tornado locations are acquired from the Storm Prediction Center, which uses both NEXRAD radar and ground reports to generate a detailed database of tornadoes in the U.S.

Ocean Acidification: The Other Carbon Dioxide Problem

Fundamental changes in seawater chemistry are occurring throughout the world's oceans. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from humankind's industrial and agricultural activities has increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. The ocean absorbs almost a third of the CO2 we release into the atmosphere every year, so as atmospheric CO2 levels increase, so do the levels in the ocean. Initially, many scientists focused on the benefits of the ocean removing this greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. However, decades of ocean observations now show that there is also a downside — the CO2 absorbed by the ocean is changing the chemistry of the seawater, a process called ocean acidification. This change in the ocean’s chemistry will have profound effects on life in the ocean, and those who depend on it.

Ocean Acidification: The Other Carbon Dioxide Problem

Fundamental changes in seawater chemistry are occurring throughout the world's oceans. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from humankind's industrial and agricultural activities has increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. The ocean absorbs almost a third of the CO2 we release into the atmosphere every year, so as atmospheric CO2 levels increase, so do the levels in the ocean. Initially, many scientists focused on the benefits of the ocean removing this greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. However, decades of ocean observations now show that there is also a downside — the CO2 absorbed by the ocean is changing the chemistry of the seawater, a process called ocean acidification. This change in the ocean's chemistry will have profound effects on life in the ocean, and those who depend on it.

Major Tornado Outbreak Impacts Southeast U.S.

A major tornado outbreak of historic proportions impacted portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia on Wednesday. More than 150 reports of tornadoes were received on Wednesday, with the majority across northern Mississippi and Alabama. Widespread destruction, loss of life, and substantial injuries have been reported from numerous strong to violent long-lived tornadoes crossing areas from Jackson, Miss., to Birmingham, Ala. Tornadoes have produced severe damage in Tuscaloosa and other locations in Mississippi and Alabama..

This movie shows the rapid scan infrared imagery from the GOES-East weather satellite from April 26-28, 2011. During severe weather events, such as the past few days, NOAA places GOES into rapid scan mode, taking imagery every 5-15 minutes instead of every 30 minutes to provide forecasters the extra needed information that they need on rapidly evolving situations. An additional still image shows the storm system on April 27, 2011 at 2215z using GOES East visible imagery. The overshooting tops associated with severe storms and tornadoes can be seen over Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Due to high server demands, we have also added this animation to our YouTube channel here.

Animated Satellite Imagery of Severe Weather and Tornado Outbreaks

A violent storm system swept across the Southern U.S. this past weekend, triggering severe storms and tornadoes. At least 22 people were killed. This imagery from the GOES-East satellite tracks the storm as it develops over the U.S. Plains and moves eastwards towards the Atlantic from April 14-17, 2011. The infrared imagery is colorized to indicate intensity. The darkest orange/red colors are associated with the highest, coldest cloud tops, which are indicative of intense rain and storms.

Animated View of Tsunami Wave Height Model

This animation shows the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research's wave height estimation for the March 11, 2011 tsunami that started off the coast of Japan and has placed the entire Pacific basin on alert. A more full description is available with the still image here.

Touring the Ocean Bottom

The ocean – it is the most prominent feature on Earth, and of immeasurable importance to life on the planet. But what would it look like if all of the water was drained out of it? Mountains and valleys that dwarf Everest; shifting plates and undersea volcanoes; seams, ripples, and plains. Though ships have mapped only a small portion of the ocean floor, satellites are used to generate incredibly details maps of the bottom of the ocean. By sensing the minute gravitational changes that pull, push, and bulge the ocean surface, the bottom’s shape can be inferred from space. These bathymetric maps reveal the incredibly dynamic terrain of the ocean. Where available, ship-based measurements are included to provide even higher detail.

This visualization tours the ocean floor from the gentle continental slopes to the deepest trenches using data analyzed and archived by NOAA. Does it look familiar? It is actually the same data that Google has incorporated into Google Earth and Ocean.

Assessing the State of the Ozone Layer

Much of life on Earth requires oxygen - not only for metabolism, but also for protection. Oxygen, in its many forms, occurs throughout the atmosphere. At 21%, molecular oxygen (O₂) is the second most common gas in our atmosphere. At 0.0001%, ozone (O₃) is hardly common, but its impact is enormous. Near the ground, in the troposphere, ozone acts as a pollutant. In the upper atmosphere (stratosphere), it acts as a shield, blocking harmful ultraviolet energy from the sun. Much attention has been made to the human-caused deterioration of the ozone layer, and the infamous “holes” that form over the Antarctic each year. The term “hole” is a bit of a misnomer, as an actual hole does not form, the ozone layer just becomes much thinner.

NOAA is one of the global leaders in monitoring and analyzing the ozone layer, and has co-authored the most recent analysis describing the state of the ozone layer . The Scientific Assessment Panel of the U.N. Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer has found that The Montreal Protocol (enacted in 1987) has been effective in reducing mankind’s impact on the ozone layer, but climate change may also begin to show signs of impacting the ozone layer, especially in the Arctic, where climate-induced circulation patterns may become more severe.

This animation uses data from NOAA’s satellites to show the annual changes in the size of the Antarctic ozone hole, along with daily fluctuations in global ozone concentration. As pointed out in the report, the size of the Antarctic ozone hole appears to have reached a turnaround point, whereby the hole is not getting worse each year, but at the same time it is not decreasing. It is expected that a return to “normal”, pre-1980 levels of ozone will occur later in this century – that is, if the ban on ozone-destroying chemicals stays in place.

You can monitor daily troposphere ozone concentration here on our website.

Hurricane Season 2010: A Different Perspective

The 2010 Hurricane Season tied with 1887 and 1995 having the third highest storm count on record with 19 named storms. But short-term weather patterns dictate where storms actually travel and in many cases this season, that was away from the United States. The jet stream’s position contributed to warm and dry conditions in the eastern U.S. and acted as a barrier that kept many storms over open water. Also, because many storms formed in the extreme eastern Atlantic, they re-curved back out to sea without threatening land. This movie shows GOES-13 infrared imagery from June 1 through November 30, the official extents of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

Intense Blizzard Rolls Across the U.S.

A massive winter storm system is rolling across the Plains and Midwest U.S., headed for the New England Region. Snow amounts of up to three feet have been dumped in some parts of Illinois and Indiana, and more is on its way. Whereas the Midwest is plagued with snow, ice will be the danger in Pennsylvania. Temperatures are warming from Maryland south, which will bring only rain to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

This animation shows GOES-East satellite infrared water vapor imagery from January 29 -February 1, 2011. The GOES satellites provide visible and infrared imagery of the U.S. every 15 minutes. The blue colored areas show the most intense, moist areas of the atmosphere that are responsible for these major precipitation events. Also included, at the end, is the snow precipitation amounts from Jan 31 - Feb 1, 2011.

Weeks of Rain Inundate Queensland State, Australia

With the city of Rockhampton cut off by flood waters, coal mines debilitated by water and washed out tracks and crops ruined by the worst flooding in a century, Queensland state in northeastern Australia finds its resolve being tested. This movie shows infrared imagery taken from the Japanese Meteorological Agency's MTSAT satellites from December 6, 2010 through January 3, 2011. A color enhancement is used on this infrared data to show areas of storm intensity. Yellow and red colors indicate the most intense storms.

Australia's geographic position between the 10 and 40 degrees south latitude places it in areas of divergent flow patterns. Between the Equator and 30 degrees south latitude, flow patterns are typically in a east to west direction; between 30 and 60 degrees south latitude, flow patterns move west to east. These divergent patterns at 0, 30, 60, and 90 degrees latitude in both hemispheres are setup by the Hadley, Ferrell and Polar cell circulations, which describes how air rises and falls in the atmosphere and is also affected by Coriolis. The combination of these global circulation forces affect the flow of most large-scale weather patterns on the planet. In the animation it is possible to see systems that cross the 30 degree boundary and get sheared in another direction.

Tracking a Blizzard from Coast to Coast

The storm system that dumped snow and stress on many states along the U.S. east coast started out as the same system that drenched California residents earlier in the week. This animation of GOES-East and -West infrared data imagery tracks the storm from its roots in the Pacific on December 21 until it begins to dissipate over the Atlantic on December 27, 2010. The NOAA GOES satellites provide visible and infrared images of the Northern Hemisphere approximately every 15 minutes, and are one of the primary tools used by meteorologists.

Hurricane Season 2010

Hurricane Igor in the Atlantic Ocean

This movie shows the lifecycle of Hurricane Igor, a long-lived, Cape Verde-type storm, from the GOES-13 satellite. The sequence begins on September 6, 2010 at 2045Z and goes through September 22, 1245Z. Igor became the largest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin in terms of the extent of gale-force wind diameter. Igor caused extensive damage throughout Newfoundland after having a much lesser impact on Bermuda.

Warm Oceans Threaten Caribbean Corals

The summer of 2010 brought heat waves to many parts of the planet, including coral reefs in the Caribbean. Global ocean temperatures for the entire year through August were the second warmest on record. These higher than normal water temperatures create stressful conditions for corals. Excessively warm temperatures stress corals, much like they do humans, and the coral responds by expelling the algae that live within their cells and provide them with food and nutrients. This process is called bleaching, since the corals turn a pale white. Prolonged bleaching periods may result in the death of the coral.

This data shows how warmer than normal ocean temperatures accumulated over the summer months of 2010, creating the worst observed bleaching conditions in the Caribbean since records began in 2000. When exposed to 4 weeks or more of excessively warm temperatures, many coral species may begin to bleach. Notice that some parts of the Caribbean went over 16 weeks of heating stress in 2010. It is anticipated that some corals in these areas may not recover. Scientists in the field will be documenting the toll that this bleaching event has taken on corals.

Imagery Archive - Brazil's First Cyclone

Brazil is usually protected from cyclonic activity. Cool waters, atmospheric shear, and predominantly off-shore flow keep most storms from forming in the region. On March 24, 2004, however, meteorologists were shocked when satellite imagery revealed that an extra-tropical cyclone was exhibiting tropical cyclone features, including eye-wall formation. This animation shows infrared imagery from the GOES-12 satellite from March 24-28, 2010. At that time, GOES-12 was also known as "GOES-East," the Eastern U.S.'s main weather satellite. Its coverage of South America was limited to scans once every three hours when full hemisphere imagery is acquired. As Catarina developed, GOES-12 was tasked to provide special imagery of the storm as it approached the coast. Fast forward to the year 2010, and GOES-12 is now permanently observing South America as part of NOAA's contribution to the Global Earth Observing System of Systems, while GOES-13 has taken its place as GOES-East.

Rivers in the Atmosphere

It is no secret that the Northwest United States receives copious amounts of rain all year long. From San Francisco to Seattle, cloudy skies and rain are common weather patterns. One reason for this constant stream of precipitation are rivers in the atmosphere that transport moisture from Central and Western Pacific, resulting in precipitation in the U.S. These rivers are part of the cycling of water around the planet, and can also be found in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean basins.

This animation shows the atmospheric rivers using a variety of data from visible and infrared satellites, to special satellite sensors that can detect microwave energy to visualize the river plumes, and even RADAR to measure the amount of precipitation released from the rivers.

Arctic Sea Ice Reaches the 3rd Lowest Extent on Record

Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean melts to its lowest extents around the 15th of September each year. Since 1979, satellites have been used to closely monitor these dynamics of ice growth and retreat - since not only is sea ice important in determining global climate and weather patterns, but also for commerce, transportation, and national security. With these careful satellite measurements, scientists have documented an almost 9% decrease in ice extent per decade. And though some years experience ice extent levels greater than the previous year, in general there has been a dramatic annual decline in Arctic ice.

In 2010, these trends continued making this year the third lowest sea ice extent ever measured by satellite. Only 2007 and 2008 had a lesser amount during the September minimum. In 2010, ice extent around the September 15th minimum was 22% below the average minimum of the past 30 years. To put it in perspective, a loss of 22% of the contiguous U.S. would be equivalent to losing all of the land area in the New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Appalachian states. Not only is area of sea ice at near record low levels, but also the thickness and concentrations are equally low.

Hurricane Igor Intensifies Across Atlantic Basin

GOES-East satellite imagery shows Hurricane Igor as it intensifies from a tropical storm on September 10th to a Category 4 hurricane on September 13, 2010. Two versions are available: an animation using colorized infrared imagery, where yellows and oranges represent greater storm intensity; along with a non-colorized version, where all clouds are shown in grayscale.

Satellite animation of severe storms in Yukon Territory

On May 24, 2010, a large storm system rolled in from the Pacific and impacted the mountainous Yukon Territory in Canada. This GOES-West imagery shows the system in both regular and colorized infrared imagery. The Yukon is at the northern-most limit for coverage by the GOES-West satellite. Due to the curvature of Earth, high latitudes cannot be well observed by geostationary satellites, which are positioned over the equator, 22,000 miles in space. To compensate, the NOAA polar-orbiting satellites provide coverage of the high latitudes, just not as frequently as GOES.

High Speed Imagery of Hurricane Danielle

On August 24, 2010 NOAA conducted tests of the newly launched GOES-15 satellite by imaging Hurricane Danielle at 1 minute intervals, known as a Super Rapid Scan Operation (SRSO). GOES-15 was launched on March 4, 2010 and is in back-up mode for the other operational GOES satellites covering the Western Hemisphere. Currently GOES-11 and GOES-13 are the operational West and East satellites, respectively, providing forecasters with important monitoring of severe weather around the U.S. and its territories.

There are two significant gaps in the imagery caused by satellite repositioning maneuvers. Significant convection can be seen as bursts of towering clouds form within the storm. A clearly defined center of circulation can also be seen to form during that latter part of the imagery. Since the imagery uses the visible light sensor on GOES-15, only daylight hours can be seen.

Comparing 20 Years of Global Temperature Trends

All of the Top 10 Warmest Average Global Temperatures recorded since 1880 have occurred in the last fifteen years. The hottest year on record, 2005, is being matched by the temperatures recorded so far in 2010. Analysis by the National Climatic Data Center reveals that May of 2010 was the warmest global average for that month on record, and is also the warmest year-to-date from January to May. This animated graph plots the year-to-date average global temperature for each year since 1990. Year-to-date refers to a running average of the entire year, not discrete averages of each month.

Satellite Analysis of Gulf Surface Oil Extents

Updated August 3, 2010. Oil has been leaking into the Gulf of Mexico since the BP Deepwater Horizon caught fire on April 20th, 2010, exploded, and sank. The subsequent oil loss is threatening the health of the Gulf and coastal ecosystems in the region. Since April 23rd, NOAA’s Satellite Analysis Branch has been using data from a variety of high resolution visible and synthetic aperture radar satellites from NOAA’s partners in Earth observations to document the latest extent of the surface oil. Satellite data used in this daily analysis includes NASA's Aqua and Terra MODIS, Canadian Space Agency's RADARSAT-1 and -2 SAR, Italian Space Agency’s COSMO-SkyMed, German Aerospace Centre’s TerraSAR-X, JAXA's ALOS, Satellite Imaging Corporation's SPOT-5, multispectral imagery from The Disaster Monitoring Constellation, and European Space Agency's ENVISAT SAR.

This animation shows the daily change in the satellite analysis of surface oil extents. It should be noted that the observed extents may in some cases not reflect the actual extents due to the difficultly in identifying oil slicks from space. For instance, medium resolution visible images are taken using sunglint data, whereby the sun’s angle creates a glare off the surface of the ocean. If the glare is not wide enough, not all of the plume will be seen. Oil-like sheens from algal blooms also complicate the matter. Very high resolution visible and synthetic aperture radar satellites also have very narrow swath coverage, so a large plume or patches of oil may extend past the bounds of the sensor’s detection area. For all of these reasons, the analysts at NOAA’s Satellite Analysis Branch must use all of the data available to generate a composite over a 24 hour period. Some days, not enough data is available to generate an accurate extent estimate, so those dates are missing from this time series. In addition, these extents show only the surface oil, not the subsurface plumes.

Tropical Storm Agatha May 28-31, 2010

Agatha was the first Pacific tropical storm of the 2010 season. Although a weak storm, its torrential rains caused widespread flooding, landslides and loss of life in Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador, making Agatha the deadliest eastern Pacific storm since Hurricane Pauline in 1997.

April's Climate: Warmest on Record

Analysis by the NOAA National Climatic Data Center revealed that April's global average temperature was the warmest on record. Combined land and ocean temperatures were 58.1°F (14.5°C), which is 1.37°F (0.76°C) above the 20th Century climatic average. Additionally, the period of January through April, 2010 was also the warmest global average temperature on record. These record highs manifested quited visibly in North America by the rapid melting of record breaking snow depths and extents that fell during December and January of this past year.

This animation shows the global temperature anomalies for both the January through April period, daily imagery of snowfall extent from December through April as observed by the GOES, POES, and DMSP satellites, along with the April global temperature anomaly.

Stranded! Could El Niño be Causing Higher Sea Lion Mortality?

California Sea Lions, like all marine mammals in U.S. territories, are carefully monitored by the National Marine Fisheries Service. In 2009, unusually high numbers of sea lions were stranding on California beaches - many malnourished or dead. This visualization examines the potential connection of these strandings to the co-occurring El Niño at that time.

April Tornado Outbreak Across U.S.

From April 22-25, there were 56 confirmed tornadoes that stretched across the U.S. Plains and into the South. Numerous other tornadoes were reported. This sequence from the GOES satellite shows the intense storm system as it develops in Colorado and makes its way eastward. The imagery uses both infrared and visible data, where available. GOES provides detailed 1 km resolution visible data during daylight hours and 4 km resolution infrared data 24 hours a day. Though the actual tornadoes cannot be seen in this imagery, the extremely high cloud tops associated with intense, convective storms can be seen. Many of these storms spawned the tornadoes.

Oil Rig Burning in the Gulf of Mexico April 21, 2010

An oil rig exploded today in the Gulf of Mexico. 11 people are missing and 7 are critically injured according to the US Coast Guard. This imagery is from the visible channel of GOES-13 showing the burning rig in the center of the movie and sediment discharge from the Mississippi River near New Orleans to the northwest.

Hurricane Hunters

As hurricanes and other tropical systems approach the U.S., NOAA and the U.S. Air Force scramble their squadrons of hurricane hunters to fly into the storms. These flights collect precious data used to understand how storm intensity is changing, and better predict where storms will make landfall. Along their flight path, hurricane hunters use a variety of sensors to calculate pressure, rainfall rates, wind speeds, and many other variables. At some locations, they deploy instruments called dropsondes. As dropsondes fall through the storm, they collect profile information that is radioed back to the aircraft.

Volcanic Plumes Halt European Air Traffic

Smoke, ash, and aerosols released by the Eyjafjallajökull glacial volcano have caused thousands of commercial airline cancellations since the volcano first erupted on April 14h, 2010. This animation shows the plume as it moves across Europe on April 16th. The data shows the concentration of ash in the atmosphere. The ash mass is calculated by combining multiple spectral channels from the EUMETSAT Meteosat-9 satellite's SEVIRI sensor. The latest image from April 19, 2010 is derived from the NASA Aqua/MODIS satellite sensor. These analyses, developed by NOAA scientists, can distinguish between clouds and other atmospheric aerosols.

The sharing of data between NOAA and its partners in Earth observations is critical in developing advanced products, such as this one, along with the preparation for NOAA's future satellite systems, GOES-R and JPSS.

Hurricane Hunter

In this animation, the flight path of a NOAA WP-3D Orion Hurricane Hunter is shown, along with the points where dropsondes are released.

The Pacific Hurricane Season 2009

This movie shows the entirety of the 2009 Pacific Hurricane Season using GOES-West full disk infrared imagery paired with the sea surface temperature anomaly data from the POES satellite. El Niño causes temperatures in the Pacific to rise above their normal levels, which also promotes the strengthening of hurricanes. The El Niño was first diagnosed by NOAA in July, after the start of the hurricane season. Both the El Niño and intensity of hurricanes increased in the late summer and fall.

Blizzards cripple the Northeast U.S.

On February 5-6th and 9-10th of 2010 two series of winter storms pummeled the Northeast United Sates. These two systems combined left over 70 inches of snow in some areas, and broke records for snowfall in Washington, DC.

This animation shows the infrared imagery collected from the NOAA GOES-12 satellite during that time. A color enhancement is used to indicate the strength of the storms as they move across the continent. Since the satellite detects differences in temperature (infrared energy), cold, white areas can also be seen on the ground as the storms pass and cover the land with snow and ice.

The Climate of 2009

Climate analyses use long time series of data to compute historical averages, and then look at how data from a given period of time (monthly, seasonal, annual, etc.) differ from that average. These anomalies present ways to gauge the change in parameters over time. This visualization examines how precipitation, temperature, snow and ice cover, and other environmental variables in 2009 compared to these climatological averages.

Tsunami: at a Science on a Sphere near you

Tsunami is the Visualization Lab's latest production for the NOAA Science on a Sphere exhibit, viewable at over 40 locations worldwide. Tsunami takes a look back at the devastating 2004 Indonesia tsunami: what happened, what was learned, and what NOAA and its international partners have done since then to improve the safety of coastal populations.

Tsunami also examines what will happen if and when a tsunami occurs off the coast of the United States near Oregon. How will alerts go out? How will you know a tsunami is coming?

Watch Tsunami and learn the signs. All coasts are vulnerable to tsunamis. Be prepared.

Note: File contains video and audio content.

Hurricane Ida November 4-14, 2009

Hurricane Ida was the 9th tropical storm and 3rd hurricane of the 2009 Hurricane Season. After surviving passage over land in Nicaragua, where more than 40,000 people were left homeless, Ida reformed in the Gulf of Mexico, regained hurricane strength and came ashore in the United States as a tropical storm northwest of Bon Secour, Alabama.

Satellite Data Detects Ozone Hole

The ozone layer protects Earth from harmful ultraviolet solar radiation. Ozone is a gas made of three oxygen atoms, and just like any other gas it circulates in the atmosphere. During the fall months, chemical reactions combine with circulation patterns high in the atmosphere to reduce the concentration of ozone over Antarctica. Areas with ozone concentrations less than 220 Dobson Units are called "holes" in the layer. NOAA's polar orbiting satellites are used to monitor the ozone hole and the data taken from the POES satellites over the past year is show in this animation. In 2009, the ozone hole reached its 10th largest measured size since careful measurements began in 1979. It appears, though, that the ozone hole is repairing itself after passage of the Montreal Protocol in 1989 that banned the use of ozone-depleting compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons(CFC's) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

The Watchful Eye of GOES

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) is one of NOAA’s most useful tools for understanding our planet. Situated 35,000km above the equator in outer space, the satellite provides a constant stream of data and imagery back to Earth as it observes clouds, ocean temperatures, winds, atmospheric properties, severe storm systems, fires and many other environmental parameters. NOAA uses two GOES satellites to provide coverage of the Western Hemisphere, including the U.S. territories in the Pacific. This visualization uses a variety of datasets from GOES to demonstrate the versatility and importance of these satellites.

Hurricane Hugo on September 17, 1989 at 2101 Z

Arctic Sea Ice Reaches 3rd Lowest Minimum Extent

On Sept 12, 2009, the extent of sea ice in the Arctic reached the third lowest level ever recorded since satellite records began in 1979. The National Snow and Ice Data Center estimates that the overall extent dropped to 5.1 million square kilometers, well below the average minimum extent of 6.71 million square kilometers (1979-2000). Only 2007 and 2008 have had lower ice extents. The small increase in 2009 was mostly due to ice spreading caused by strong polar winds. Ice concentration and thickness, however, have not increased, making predictions about a rebound in Arctic ice premature at this moment.

August 2009: One of the warmest on record

The world’s ocean surface temperature was the warmest for any August on record, and the warmest on record averaged for any June-August summer season, according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. World-wide records began in 1880. Shown here is a visualization of the August global temperature anomalies--or in other words, how the average temperature in August differs from the average climate of 1961-1990. Notice that in some areas, such as the central United States, temperatures were much cooler than average. But overall, land and ocean temperatures were several degrees above normal.

Satellite Monitoring of California Wildfires

Monitoring the spread of wildfires is important, not just from the standpoint of saving lives and property but also to know how smoke and ash will affect air quality miles away. Measurements from the GOES satellite allow scientists to detect particulates in the air and issue air quality guidance. This animation shows aerosol optical depth measurements from GOES during the August 26th to September 2nd, 2009 California wildfires.

Profiling the ocean depths with Argo

In order to collect data from the ocean scientists have deployed a fleet of underwater floats – called Argo – at more than 3,000 spots around the world. The float rests at the surface of the water and its location is calculated. Then it sinks 1,000 meters and drifts along with deep ocean currents. As it drifts for 9 days, special sensors and instruments onboard record the currents, the temperature, and the salinity, which means the amount of salt in the water. Then it drops down another 1,000 meters. As it climbs back up to the surface, it continues recording the temperature and salinity of the surrounding water. When it gets to the surface, the float’s data and location is transmitted back to research centers by a satellite. Amazingly, this info is available globally within 24 hours. Knowing the temperature and salinity of the ocean improves scientist’s ability to better assess the ocean’s role in climate change, to manage our fisheries, and to respond to hazardous weather. And this important work helps us better understand climate and our changing planet.

Football players lost at sea

On February 28, 2009, with clear skies overhead, Corey Smith, a defensive end with the Detroit Lions, linebacker Marquis Cooper of the Oakland Raiders, William Bleakley and Nick Schyuler (both former college football players) set out on their boat to go fishing near Tampa Bay, FL. Two days later, only Nick Schuyler was found, clinging to the capsized boat. This animation shows colorized GOES satellite infrared cloud data from March 1-4, 2009 as a storm approaches the Tampa Bay region.

El Niño returns in July 2009

NOAA announced on July 9, 2009 that the climate phenomenon called El Niño has returned. The El Niño Southern Oscillation is characterized by low ocean surface winds along the Equatorial Pacific, generating warmer than average ocean temperatures. These warmer temperatures are visible in sea surface temperature anomaly data, such as is shown in this animation.

Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Ike was the 5th hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season. When it impacted Galveston, TX on September 13th, Ike was at a Category 2 intensity. The storm became the third most destructive in U.S. history. Seen in this visualization are Hurricanes Gustav (impacts Louisiana), Hanna (moves north near Florida), and Ike (impacts Texas). All storms are seen in a combination of both visible and infrared imagery from the GOES-12 satellite.

Ocean Acidification Impacts Coral Reefs

The ocean is absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide—a natural process. However, as carbon dioxide enters the ocean, it reacts with water to form acid. Subsequent chemical reactions that try to maintain a normal pH level in the ocean end up reducing the amount of calcium carbonate—a component in the skeletons of many organisms such as corals, lobsters, clams, and pteropods. Without calcium carbonate, these organisms cannot properly grown and reproduce. In this animation, we show model data of how the availability of calcium carbonate is predicted to decrease over the next century at a depth of 10 meters in the ocean—where most corals occur. Areas that are deep red are sufficiently acidic to dissolve calcium carbonate-based organisms. Most areas currently have enough calcium carbonate to support corals and other organisms, but all areas are predicted to decline by the year 2100 compared to pre-industrial values.

Hurricane Andrew

Hurricane Andrew was only the third Category 5 storm to impact the U.S. when it made landfall on August 24, 1992 near Homestead, FL. A reanalysis of weather data in 2004 revealed that the storm made landfall with 166 mph winds. Until Hurricane Katrina followed in 2005, Andrew was the most costly U.S. tropical cyclone in history, with damages exceeding $26.5 billion (1992 USD). This animation was created by resurrecting archived GOES-7 satellite data.

Hurricane Gustav

Hurricane Gustav made landfall in the U.S. on September 1, 2008 near Cocdrine, Louisiana. At its peak intensity with winds of 150 mph, the storm caused damage throughout the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, totaling over $8.5 billion (2008 USD) and over 150 fatalities. Using imagery from the NOAA GOES-12 satellite, this animation shows the path and lifecycle of the storm from August 25 – September 2, 2008.

NOAA Ocean Observations

A part of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA's in situ ("in place") ocean observations include its surface fleet, such as the R/V Ron Brown, a myriad of surface buoys, and even the depth-profiling Argo buoys.

Weather Satellites

Satellites provide over 90% of the data used to develop weather models and forecasts. This animation shows the relative orbits of the geostationary and polar-orbitng satellites used by NOAA's National Weather Service in their weather models.

NOAA Polar Orbiting Satellites

NOAA operates a fleet of polar-orbiting satellites called POES (Polar-orbiting environmental satellite). The two operational and back-up spacecraft provide global coverage as they circle the Earth from 540 miles above. This animation shows the coverage of the satellites as they orbit from pole to pole. Each 360 degree orbit takes approximately 100 minutes.

African Droughts

The Horn of Africa has been experiencing exceptional droughts over the last decade. Using data collected from the NOAA POES satellite, changes in the severity of the drought conditions in the Horn and around the world are shown.

Humans Impact the Ocean

Human activities, both knowingly and unknowingly, affect the ocean. A team of 19 scientists, including one from NOAA, undertook the task of mapping how humans have impacted the ocean over time. This animation takes a tour of this marine impact map and identifies some of the sources of negative impacts on the ocean.

El Niño and La Niña

The oceans warm and cool as the seasons change. However, sometimes there are periods of abnormally warm and cool sea surface temperatures. In the equatorial Pacific, these periods often result from phenomenon called El Niño and La Niña. This animation shows the warmer than average sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies associated with El Niño, and the cooler than average SST anomalies associated with La Niña. Both of these climatic phenomenon result in altering weather patterns across the globe.

Heating Up the Ocean

Satellite measurements of sea surface temperatures (SST) are critical for weather forecasts, understanding ocean circulation, and even knowing where fish populations may be located. This animation shows daily SST trends over the last 25 years, along with analysis of how ocean temperatures have been changing in that same period

The Dead Zone

Hypoxic zones are areas in the ocean of such low oxygen concentration that animal life suffocates and dies, and as a result are sometimes called "dead zones." One of the largest dead zones forms in the Gulf of Mexico every spring. This data visualization discusses the causes of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Melting North Pole

The concentration and extent of sea ice in the Arctic has been on the decline since the mid-1990's. Data collected by the DMSP satellite's SSM/I sensor is shown here for 2007 - 2008. These two years had the lowest ice extents on record since satellite observations first began.

The Little Boy and Girl

Spanish for "little boy" and "girl", El Niño and La Niña events in the Pacific greatly affect global patterns of temperature and precipitation. This animation details how this climate cycle changes global weather patterns.

The 2008 Ozone Hole

The ozone hole over Antarctica, which fluctuates in response to temperature and sunlight, grew to the size of North America in a one-day maximum in September that was the fifth largest on record, since NOAA satellite records began in 1979. The primary cause of the ozone hole is human-produced compounds called chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, which release ozone-destroying chlorine and bromine into the atmosphere. Earth’s protective ozone layer acts like a giant umbrella, blocking the sun’s ultraviolet-B rays. Though banned for the past 21 years to reduce their harmful build up, CFCs still take many decades to dissipate from the atmosphere. This visualization shows the daily change in the ozone hole during much of 2008.

Coral Science from Outer Space to Inner Space

Coral bleaching is a threat to reefs around the world. This production, created for the Science on a Sphere, details the science behind why corals bleach, what NOAA is doing to monitor and prevent coral bleaching, and also what you can do to help. Audio is included.

Global Climate Trends

The National Climatic Data Center is the largest archive of weather and climate data. With records dating back to the 1700’s, the Center is able to provide accurate climate analyses. This animation shows the change in global temperatures from 1880 to the present. Red areas indicated that the region is warmer than the historically observed average; blue indicates cooler temperatures than average.

Hurricane Hugo

One of the most destructive Atlantic hurricanes in history, Hurricane Hugo grew to Category 4 status before slamming into the Carolina coastline in 1989. This animation shows the intensity of the storm using colorized infrared imagery from the GOES-7 satellite from September 19-23, 1989

The 2008 Hurricane Season

The GOES satellite is North America's first line of defense in identifying and tracking any tropical cyclonic activity. Every 15 minutes the GOES satellite acquires a new image of the Northern Hemisphere. All of these images have been compiled to show the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Using data from the infrared water vapor channel, it is possible to see the storms, as well as the high pressure areas that affect their movement and intensity.

Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Rita reached its maximum strength on September 21, 2005 (1945z). With sustained winds of 180 mph, Rita was the 4th most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, and the most intense for the Gulf of Mexico. This animation uses GOES satellite infrared imagery to track the movement of the storm across the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

The 2005 Hurricane Season

The 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season was the most active and intense on record, with record numbers of named storms (28), intense hurricanes (7), and overall damage ($141 billion). This animation shows every GOES satellite image taken from June 1 – November 30, 2005.

Hurricane Katrina Colorized

The most infamous storm in U.S. history, Hurricane Katrina carved a path of destruction from Miami to New Orleans, and up the Eastern United States. The storm reached a maximum intensity of Category 5 status, with 175 mph sustained winds. Hurricane Katrina made landfall in the morning of August 29, 2005. This infrared satellite imagery shows the storm’s intensity: white is the most intense, followed by red, green, and blue.

Hurricane Katrina

The most infamous storm in U.S. history, Hurricane Katrina carved a path of destruction from Miami to New Orleans, and up the Eastern United States. The storm reached a maximum intensity of Category 5 status, with 175 mph sustained winds. Hurricane Katrina made landfall in the morning of August 29, 2005. This animation uses infrared imagery to track the progress of the storm from birth in the Bahamas to after it dissipates in the Northeast U.S.

Hurricane Jeanne - 2004

Hurricane Jeanne produced heavy rain over Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and caused an estimated 3000 or more deaths in Haiti. Some 200,000 people in Gonaives lost their homes, belongings and livelihoods to the hurricane's torrential rainfall and flooding.

Jeanne originated from a tropical wave that tracked west across the Atlantic from Africa. A tropical depression formed on September 13 and had strengthened to a tropical storm the next day as it moved slowly over the Leeward Islands.

Jeanne's slow forward motion across the Caribbean contributed to torrential rainfall along its path. These rains and resultant fresh-water flooding and mudslides caused thousands to die in Haiti.

By September 18 the remnants of Hurricane Ivan's mid-level circulation over the eastern United States combined with an extratropical short wave trough to erode the ridge to the north of Jeanne, placing the storm in a weak steering flow that persisted for five days.

Tropical Storm Jeanne moved slowly northward over the southeastern Bahamas then moved away from the coast in a broad anticyclonic loop out about 500 nautical miles into the Atlantic, east of the northwestern Bahamas. By the time it completed this loop on September 23 Jeanne had strengthened to a hurricane with 85 knot winds. The extratropical trough previously located over the northeastern U.S. coast moved eastward and was replaced by a large deep-layer migratory ridge that propelled Jeanne on a track just north of due westward. On September 24 Jeanne moved over its earlier track and encountered cooler waters caused by upwelling along that track. Moving west, away from the upwelled cooler water, the winds increased to 100 knots (category three) on September 25 as the center moved over Abaco Island and then Grand Bahama Island in the northern Bahamas. Jeanne made landfall on the east coast of Florida early on September 26, the eye crossing the coast at the southern end of Hutchinson Island just east of Stuart.

Jeanne moved across central Florida, weakened and began to recurve around the western periphery of the migratory ridge mentioned above. The hurricane weakened to a tropical storm north of Tampa in the afternoon of September 26 and then weakened to a tropical depression about 24 hours later while moving northward across central Georgia. The depression, still accompanied by heavy rain, moved over the Carolinas, Virginia, and the Delmarva Peninsula. It merged with a frontal zone and became extratropical on September 29 as it moved eastward off the U.S mid-Atlantic coast.

On September 10 Hurricane Ivan is in the Caribbean and on September 18 Hurricane Karl can be seen in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. This movie shows the GOES East imagery from September 10 through 30, 2004.

Hurricane Ivan - 2004

Hurricane Ivan was a classical, long-lived Cape Verde hurricane that reached Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale three times. It was also the strongest hurricane on record that far southeast of the Lesser Antilles. Ivan caused considerable damage and loss of life as it churned through the Caribbean Sea.

After passing Grenada and moving into the southeastern Caribbean Sea, Ivan reached category 5 strength for the first time on September 8. As Ivan passed south of Jamaica it weakened to category 4 strength, in part due to an eyewall replacement, then moved away from Jamaica. The storm rapidly intensified to category 5 strength a second time on September 11 while it remained in a low vertical shear environment. After a brief weakening, Ivan regained category 5 strength for the third time on September 12 west of Grand Cayman Island bringing widespread wind damage and a storm surge that completely over swept the island, except for the extreme northeastern portion. Ivan maintained category 5 strength for an unusually long 30 hours into September 13.

Ivan then moved into the Gulf of Mexico and encountered increased vertical shear and dry air entrainment, yet made landfall as a category 3 hurricane just west of Gulf Shores, AL on September 16. A northeastward motion on land continued for the next 36 hours before Ivan merged with a frontal system and became an extratropical low over the DelMarVa peninsula on September 18. Even as a weak tropical depression, Ivan was a prodigious rain and tornado producer causing flash floods and tornado damage across much of the southeastern United States.

As an extratropical low, the remnant circulation of Ivan was still identifiable in both surface and upper-air data. Over the next 3 days, the low moved south and southwestward and eventually crossed the southern Florida peninsula from the Atlantic on the morning of September 21 and emerged over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico later that afternoon. As Ivan moved westward across the warm water of the Gulf, the low began to re-acquire warm core, tropical characteristics and showers and thunderstorms started developing near the well-defined low-level circulation center.

During the morning of September 22, Ivan completed a large anticyclonic loop and reconnaissance aircraft reports indicated that it had become a tropical depression again over the central Gulf of Mexico.

Ivan regained tropical strength 6 hours later when it was located south of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Tropical Storm Ivan turned northwestward and made landfall as a tropical depression in extreme southwestern Louisiana on September 24. After landfall, Ivan quickly dissipated over the upper Texas coastal area northwest of Beaumont. Including its extratropical phase, Ivan existed for 22.5 days and produced a track more than 5600 nautical miles long.

This movie shows the GOES East imagery from September 1 through September 30,