GOES-West Mesoscale view - Band 10 at 20°N - 160°W - North Pacific Ocean

Band 10 key:

This band shows atmospheric temperatures in Celsius. Values in the red to yellow range represent a dry atmosphere. Values between yellow and white, including blue, represent a relatively moist atmosphere. Values colder than white, including green, represent clouds.

7.3 µm - "Lower-level Water Vapor" Band - 2 km resolution - Band 10 is a water vapor band, meaning it is capable of detecting water vapor at middle to lower portions of the atmosphere, in addition to high clouds. It can detect water vapor lower in the troposphere compared to the water vapor band on the legacy GOES-13 and -15 imager.

The imager on GOES-16 features three mid-level water vapor bands instead of the single water vapor band on the GOES-13 Imager. The single water vapor band on GOES-13 contained a mixture of water vapor features over many levels of the troposphere, but GOES-16 enables us to focus on water vapor in the upper troposphere (band 8), the middle troposphere (band 9), or the lower troposphere (band 10). The GOES-13 Imager water vapor channel is between ABI bands 8 and 9.

• For more details, see the Band 10 - ABI Quick Information Guide, (PDF, 599 KB)