Notice:
Starting December 3, 2024, visitors to GOES.NOAA.GOV will be redirected
to the STAR
GOES Imagery site. If you have any questions about this change
or need assistance, please contact OSPO
User Services.
4 Dec 2024 - 14:07 EST
4 Dec 2024 - 19:07 UTC
GOES-West Mesoscale view - Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics at 57°N - 135°W - Near Sitka, AK
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.
While GOES animation code will not run on older Internet Explorer browsers,
they work in the newest versions of Microsoft Edge. If you are using
Internet Explorer, please try a different browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or
MS Edge are all supported.
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2128 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2129 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2130 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2131 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2132 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2133 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2134 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2135 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2136 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2137 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2138 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2139 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2140 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2141 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2142 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2143 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2144 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2145 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2146 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2147 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2148 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2149 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2150 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2151 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2152 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2153 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2154 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2155 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2156 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 15 Jul 2024 - 2157 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.