GOES-18 Interleave Testing - Has ended. GOES-West data now supplied from operational GOES-17 satellite.
GOES-18 expected to become operational GOES-West in January 2023. See GOES-18 Interleave Testing for more information.
28 Mar 2024 - 11:51 EDT
28 Mar 2024 - 15:51 UTC
GOES-East Mesoscale view - Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics at 36°N - 92°W - Izard County, AR
Day Cloud Phase RGB is now combined with Night Microphysics RGB to make DayNightCloudMicroCombo RGB.
30 frame animation displayed. This mesoscale location is no longer being actively produced.
To enlarge, pause animation & click the image. Hover over popups to zoom. Use slider to navigate.
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Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1139 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1140 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1141 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1142 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1143 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1144 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1145 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1146 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1147 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1148 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1149 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1150 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1151 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1152 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1153 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1154 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1155 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1156 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1157 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1158 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1159 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1200 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1201 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1202 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1203 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1204 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1205 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1206 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1207 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 13 Jul 2023 - 1209 UTC
Day Cloud Phase key:
1 - Low level clouds with water droplets (cyan, lavender) 2 - Glaciating clouds (green) 3 - Snow (shades of green) 4 - Thick high level clouds with ice particles (yellow) 5 - Thin mid level clouds with water droplets (magenta) 6 - Thin high-level clouds with ice particles (red-orange) 7 - Land surface (shades of blue) 8 - Water surface (black)
The STAR GOES Imagery Site team has developed the Day Night Cloud Micro Combo product to more efficiently deliver the observational value of both the Day Cloud Phase Distinction & Night Microphysics RGB products.
Daytime: Day Cloud Phase RGB The daytime period of this RGB helps evaluate the phase of cooling cloud tops to monitor convective initiation, storm growth, and decay. It can also be used to identify snow on the ground. The Day Cloud Phase Distinction RGB takes advantage of cloud reflectance differences between the visible and near infrared channels and temperature variances between land and clouds in the infrared to provide increased contrast between background surfaces and phases of clouds (i.e., water vs. ice). Due to its reliance on visible bands 2 and 5, it is only usable during daylight hours. This composite was developed by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) for Himawari-8. Interpretation is still under investigation.
Nighttime: Nighttime Microphysics RGB The distinction between low clouds and fog in satellite imagery is challenging. While the difference between the 10.4 and 3.9 μm channels has been a regularly applied product to meet aviation forecast needs, the Nighttime Microphysics (NtMicro) RGB adds another channel difference (12.4- 10.4 μm) as a proxy to cloud thickness and repeats the use of the 10.4 μm thermal channel to enhance areas of warm (i.e., low) clouds where fog is more likely. The NtMicro RGB is also an efficient tool to quickly identify other cloud types in the mid and upper atmosphere.