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.
29 Mar 2024 - 07:30 EDT
29 Mar 2024 - 11:30 UTC
Post-tropical Cyclone Six-E - Air Mass at 18.2°N - 118.0°W
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Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0550 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0600 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0610 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0620 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0630 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0700 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0710 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0720 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0800 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0810 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0820 UTC
Air Mass - RGB composite based on the data from IR and WV - 15 Jul 2020 - 0840 UTC
Key for AirMass RGB:
1 - Jet stream / potential vorticity (PV) / deformation zones / dry upper level (dark red / orange)
2 - Cold air mass (dark blue/purple)
3 - Warm air mass (green)
4 - Warm air mass, less moisture (olive/dark orange)
5 - High thick cloud (white)
6 - Mid level cloud (tan/salmon)
7 - Low level cloud (green, dark blue)
8 - Limb effects (purple/blue)
Air Mass RGB is used to diagnose the environment surrounding synoptic systems by enhancing temperature and moisture characteristics of airmasses. Cyclogenesis can be inferred by the identification of warm, dry, ozone-rich descending stratospheric air associated with jet streams and potential vorticity (PV) anomalies. The RGB can be used to validate the location of PV anomalies in model data. Additionally, this RGB can distinguish between polar and tropical airmasses, especially along upper-level frontal boundaries and identify high-, mid-, and low-level clouds.