Notice: As of 4:26 p.m. EDT,
the GOES-16 ABI Imager (GOES-East) is offline due to a reported thermal anomaly.
No GOES-East images will be updated while the satellite is offline.
As soon as data flow is restored, we will begin processing images and update the site.
GOES-West continues to operate normally.
23 Aug 2024 - 21:10 EDT
24 Aug 2024 - 01:10 UTC
GOES-West Mesoscale view - Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics at 55°N - 149°W - North Pacific Ocean
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Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1809 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1810 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1811 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1812 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1813 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1814 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1815 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1816 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1817 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1818 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1819 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1821 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1822 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1823 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1825 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1826 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1827 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1828 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1829 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1830 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1831 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1832 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1833 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1834 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1835 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1836 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1837 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1838 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1839 UTC
Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics - Day: show phase of cloud tops; night: distinguish clouds from fog - 22 Aug 2024 - 1840 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.