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Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Branch

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Web Based Products

Near Real-time products are listed in three categories:

– Climate is found at the end of this table

Description and link to product (some links require selection of the particular product). Data links presented below should not be considered “operational”.

Atmosphere


Aerosols, GlobalAerosol products from AVHRR available for daily, weekly or monthly time periods.
Animations of cloud imagery and productsAnimations are available with many of the products in these sections. For other imagery animation links go to sites accessible through the WMO Virtual Laboratory web site on the home page.See thumbnails below for: Cloud Top Height; Cloud Top Pressure; Precipitation; Total Precipitable Water, Global; Winds, Arctic and Antarctic regions; Winds, tropical and mid-latitude; Fires- geostationary coverage at frequent intervals; and, Vegetation Health
Cloud Ice Water Path, GlobalGlobal cloud ice path derived from NOAA polar orbiting satellites, AM orbit and PM orbit. By selecting products from the home page, then select today or yesterday then the NOAA satellite and IWP. This site also provides global images for cloud liquid water, rain rate, snow, sea ice, rain rate, land surface temperature and total precipitable water.
Cloud Ice Water Path, Global and RegionalRegional and global cloud ice water path (IWP) derived from NOAA polar orbiting satellites. By selecting products from the home page, then select today or yesterday then the NOAA satellite and IWP.
Cloud Liquid water, Global and RegionalRegional and global cloud liquid water (CLW) derived from NOAA polar orbiting satellites. By selecting products from the home page, then select today or yesterday then the NOAA satellite and CLW.
Cloud Top Height, GlobalConvective and high cloud top in thousands of feet based on global multi-satellite infrared data and the NOGAPS analysis, also available are Atlantic and Pacific basin zooms. Up to 16 frame multi-image mosaic also available.
Cloud Top Pressure and Effective Cloud Amount: Hemispheric from GOES-12 imagerWith the 13.3 um band, GOES imager Cloud Top Pressure (CTP) are derived by using the CO2 Absorption Technique. Data are processed every three hours
GOES Image Loops

Realtime GOES East and GOES West Loops with USA closeups, also can view loops over S. America and Caribbean

RAMSDIS OnLine, Barbados, Costa Rica plus S. America (versión en español) 

Hurricane


Precipitation, Flash FloodVariety of products from NESDIS Office of Research and Applications Flash Flood Home page from Hydro-estimator can look at various parts of the world
Precipitation, Global3 hourly blended microwave and IR precipitation estimations. Close-ups of selected regions also available.
Precipitation, Global rain rateThe rain rate product from SSM/I is a measurement of the rainfall intensity over the Earth’s surface. Indeterminate data can result from the polar ice caps or certain areas in the Sahara desert. This product is updated every four hours.   Can click on area of image to zoom in.
Precipitation, Tropical Storm Rainfall Potemtial

Tropical Rainfall Potential Product (TRAP) derived from AMSU data with current rain rate and forecast 24 hour accumulation and storm positions.   Access TRAP from the left banner on the CIRA AMSU page.

For other rainfall products derived for tropical storms see Tropical Storms below.

Radiance, Global visible Top of AtmosphereFrom MODIS bands 1, 3 and 4
Sounding Products from GOES, RegionalGOES Sounder Products (TPW, Atmospheric Stability, ozone) over the United States and adjacent Coastal Waters are available from the CIMSS real-time GOES page. Most products are available as pictures or animations.

Total Precipitable
Water, Global
(Over water only)

Current image or animation of Global near real-time blended AMSU and SSM/I total precipitable water. Animation is at 6 hourly intervals for about the past six days.   For animations click on Blended TPW Animation on left banner – this is an excellent product for a variety of training and analysis applications.

Total Precipitable
Water, Regional
(Over water only)

Regional and global total precipitable water derived from NOAA polar orbiting satellites. By selecting products from the home page, then select today or yesterday then the NOAA satellite and TPW.
Tropical StormsThere are a number of excellent satellite focused sites that deal with tropical storms. Select below for certain satellite based tropical cyclone products: 1) Genesis potential; 2) Intensity (Dvorak technique Intensity number); 3) position; 4) rainfall; 5) winds from AMSU

The following sites provide a variety of satellite related tropical storm products.

Water VaporWater vapor products are available from the “Sounding Products from GOES” and “Total Precipitable Water” products above. For animations, see Polar water vapor motions from “Winds, Arctic …” below or geostationary water vapor channel animations from Satellite Imagery on the home.page. 
Winds, Arctic and Antarctic   regionsThis page provides near real-time plots of winds over the polar regions derived from the AVHRR on-board the NOAA-15, -16, and -17 satellites or from the MODIS instrument on the Terra and Aqua satellites.
Winds, tropical and mid-latitude globalCloud and Water Vapor Motion winds over various regions from geostationary hosted at NRL but from CIMSS. Other presentations along with derived fields are available from left side banner the CIMSS tropical cyclone page.

Land Surface


Fires –polar orbiting satellites, global morning and afternoonFires from MODIS imager (Terra, morning, Aqua afternoon). Fires appear as red dots in the imagery. The thumbnail to the right shows is a portion of a 2 km MODIS granule showing fires.   Select a day from the calendar on the sites home page, then desired MODIS area (granule).
Fires- geostationary coverage at frequent intervalsDerived at frequent intervals over North, Central and South America from GOES for both large area (thumbnail) and regional sectors at 4 km resolution using the ABBA. Available as single image or as 12 hour animations; archive is available. Regional sector loops are also excellent for viewing cloud animations at 4 km resolution.
Snow cover, GlobalGlobal land snow cover from MODIS, Can specify either single day or time period (in year and Julian day format). Click on an area in the global image to pop-up a 5km-resolution close-up of that region and other information.
Snow cover, RegionalOperational snow cover maps from NESDIS for Northern Hemisphere. This site contains good links to other snow cover sites.
Snow depth, GlobalThe snow depth product from SSM/I measures the depth of recently accumulated dry snow. Snowfall amounts in excess of 40 cm are considered erroneous. This product is updated once per day at 4 am EST.
Soil moisture, GlobalThe soil moisture product from SSM/I gives the percentage of moisture for the land regions. Values in excess of 70 percent are considered erroneous. This product is updated once per day at 4 am EST. Click on a region to zoom in,
Surface TypeThe global surface type product from SSM/I describes the environment-type of the land regions. See the legend below the product to identify the environment-types. Indeterminate data can be the result of certain warm regions in the Sahara or Australia. This product is updated once per day at 4 am EST. Click on a region to zoom in. The regional ABBA fire site above has as background AVHRR surface type for its products.
Surface ReflectanceDaily or 8-day composite from MODIS.   Click on an area in the global image to pop-up a 5km-resolution close-up of that region and other information
Temperature, Global Land SurfaceThis global surface temperature product from SSM/I measures the temperature at the surface in land regions. Indeterminate data can be a result of snow, ice, and water covered areas, and certain warm regions of the Sahara and Australia. This product is updated every 4 hours.   Regional close up by clicking on area of image.
Temperature, Local Area Land surfaceNear real time high resolution surface (land or sea) temperature products are available from MODIS. Not cloud cleared. Select day from the calendar on the sites home page, then desired MODIS area then LST from left banner.
Vegetation HealthVegetation health index from NOAA AVHRR.   Boxes can be accessed at higher resolution.   Comparisons can be made with previous periods.
Vegetation Normalized Derived Vegetation Index (NDVI)NDVI from MODIS imager (Terra, morning, or Aqua afternoon). MODIS NDVI is available from 250 meters to 4 km.   Select day from the calendar on the sites home page, then desired MODIS area then NDVI from left banner.

Sea Surface


Multi Product Site: Products from a variety of satellites for Ocean Surface Winds, Sea Surface Temperature and Ocean Color may be seen on NOAA’s Coast Watch siteThe CoastWatch provides access to satellite ocean remote sensing data and products for a selected geographic regions. Multiple products, sensors and satellites may be selected and dates may be entered manually or by using the pop-up calendars. Simply follow the instructions on the page and select the appropriate product or products.


Color

SST

Winds

Altimetry (sea level anomaly)

Various products from satellite altimeters include the ability to select global analysis, as thumb nail to right
ColorOcean color derived from MODIS for the large Pacific Basin, including Chlorophyll-a (shown in thumbnail) as well as selected close-up sectors
El Nino and La NinaThis site provides answers to basic questions such as: What are La Nina and El Nino; Frequently asked questions and impacts of El Nino. It also describes current conditions that include current information and forecasts as well as real time data and products, including satellite data.  
Ice concentration, GlobalThe ice concentration product from SSM/I measures the percentage contcentration of ice over the oceans. Values exceeding 100 percent are considered erroneous. This product is updated once per day at 4 am EST. Click on a region to zoom in.
Ice, GlobalDaily Sea Ice from MODIS. This global product may be a few days old, and the request format is in year and Julian day (there is a Julian day calendar on the request form). Click on an area in the global image to pop-up a 5km-resolution close-up of that region and other information.
Temperature, local areas SSTNear real time high resolution surface (land or sea) temperature products from MODIS. Not cloud cleared but when used with the global SST product below can provide valuable insight into mesoscale SST.   Select day from the calendar on the sites home page, then desired MODIS area then LST from left banner. Also see CoastWatch site referenced above.
Temperature, Global SSTGlobal SST analyses combining satellite derived SST with NCEP global analysis. Previous times are also available.
Wind speed, Ocean surfaceThe wind speed product from SSM/I is a measurement of the wind speed over the oceans. Indeterminate data in the product below usually results from the inability to take accurate measurements from the polar ice caps and areas of rainfall. This product is updated every four hours, and may be clicked on for a zoom in sector.
Wind Velocity (speed and direction), Ocean surfaceGlobal Winds from QUIKScat. Scroll down after accessing page and click on desired area of quikscat pass for 12.5 km resolution winds from either ascending or descending orbits.   Also see CoastWatch site referenced to above.

Climate


There are numerous satellite climate related sites. Rather than provide an extensive list, click on the desired agency under the thumbnail section to the right. Click below for selected climate products such as Monthly Ozone, AQUA – AMSU and MSU Products for Climate Applications,