METEO 101 Lesson 3 Images

The image displays a close-up view of an electric coil burner on a stovetop. The coil is brightly glowing in concentric circles, emitting a vivid orange-red light, indicating it is turned on and hot. The burner is set within a reflective circular black surface, which enhances the contrast of the glowing coils.

The image shows a detailed view of the Sun, focusing on its surface texture. The Sun appears as a bright circular object against a black background. It is depicted in vibrant shades of orange and red, with intricate patterns of both lighter and darker areas. The surface is speckled with various sunspots, which are prominent due to their contrasting darker hues.

The image depicts the Sun in vivid red tones, captured in a solar observation photograph. It showcases various regions of solar activity with swirling patterns and bright, glowing areas. These bright spots indicate intense solar flares. The Sun appears as a round disc occupying the center of the image, with a contrast between the darker central area and the lighter, radiant outer areas.

The image depicts a glowing metal bar resting on a large, sturdy, rectangular anvil. The metal bar, has a bright pink hue, indicating it has been heated. This rectangular anvil, with a weathered blue-painted base, is positioned on a concrete floor, marked by small debris and discoloration, indicating a workshop or forge environment. The vivid glow of the metal suggests high temperature and emphasizes its potential transformation process.

The image is a vertical chart displaying a gradient of colors representing temperatures in degrees Celsius, ranging from 600°C to 1200°C. On the left side, colored horizontal bars shift progressively from dark brown red at the bottom to bright white at the top. The color transitions through various shades including brown red, blood red, dark cherry, cherry, light cherry, light red, orange, light orange, yellow, light yellow, to white. On the right side of each color bar, corresponding temperature values and names of the colors are listed. The background is black, which enhances the vibrancy of the colors.

The image depicts the constellation Orion against a backdrop of a dark, starry sky. Orion is outlined with faint lines connecting several bright stars. The constellation is characterized by three aligned stars forming Orion's Belt in the middle. Above the belt, stars form Orion's shoulders, with the bright orange star Betelgeuse on the left and the white star Bellatrix on the right. Below the belt are Orion's knees, with the bright blue star Rigel on the right. The overall image is speckled with numerous smaller stars, adding depth to the celestial scene.

The image depicts a dramatic scene with large, towering dark clouds dominating the right side of the sky. These storm clouds are dense and textured, with varying shades of gray, creating a sense of depth and movement. On the left side, the sky is clearer, showing a bright sun partially obscured by the clouds, casting a soft glow and creating a contrast between light and shadow. Below, there is a gently rolling landscape with green grassland and distant hills. The overall composition captures the tension between the serene landscape and the impending storm.

The image is a satellite view of a swirling cyclone, taken from above. The center of the cyclone is a distinct, spiraling cloud formation with a clearly defined eye at the core, which is encircled by dense cloud bands. The clouds appear white and textured, radiating outward in a swirling pattern. The image is monochromatic, using shades of gray to represent cloud density and depth. The coastline, depicted with black outlines, is visible to the right, revealing the proximity of the storm to land. In the lower right corner, logos for NOAA and CIRA are present.

The image is a black and white satellite photograph capturing a broad view of North America, particularly the eastern United States, Eastern Canada, parts of Central America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The curvature of the Earth is visible, with the continent occupying the left side of the image and the ocean to the right. There are scattered cloud formations across the continent, with a distinct, swirling cloud pattern over the Atlantic, indicating weather activity. The Gulf of Mexico is noticeably clear, with less cloud coverage, and the terrain of the continent, including mountain ranges and land variations, is subtly highlighted through shades of gray.

The image depicts a satellite view of Earth focusing on the Western Hemisphere, including North, Central, and South America. The continents are outlined in bright yellow against a grayscale backdrop. Cloud patterns swirl over the oceans and land, with noticeable cloud coverage over the eastern coast of the United States and the central part of South America. The darker oceans contrast with the lighter clouds, and the textures of the cloud formations are visible. The Earth's curvature is evident, set against a black background.

The image displays a satellite view of a massive swirling cyclone over the Arctic region, captured by the Aqua MODIS instrument from NASA. The cyclone forms a large spiral pattern, with thick clouds wrapping around a central eye-like feature in the middle left of the image. The extensive cloud system exhibits various shades of white and gray, indicating different cloud densities. To the right, the rugged, snow-covered coastlines of Greenland are visible, with fractured ice fields and landforms outlined in stark contrast against the white snow. At the top left corner, a small inset map shows a highlighted region of the Earth, giving context to the cyclone's location in the Arctic.

The image is a grayscale satellite photograph of northern Antarctica, with a focus on ice formation. The landscape is entirely white and grey, and mainly covered in ice. Across the center of the image, there appears to be a large ice shelf, which is breaking off from the rest of the ice sheet. Several red arrows point upwards, denoting the movement of the ice. The image is overlaid with light blue grid lines that include longitude and latitude markings, giving a sense of location and scale.

The image is a satellite view of Hurricane Michael over the Gulf of Mexico, approaching the southeastern United States. The hurricane is illustrated in shades of white and gray, with a distinct eye visible in the center, indicative of a strong hurricane. The image includes parts of the United States, specifically the outlines of the states along the Gulf Coast, marked in red, and the green outlines along the coasts. Latitude and longitude lines are present, with labels along the borders.

The satellite image shows hurricane Idalia moving towards central Florida. The eye of the storm is covered with clouds, but the rest of the hurricane is clearly visible.  To the north, the coastline of the Florida Panhandle is partially visible beneath some cloud cover. The eastward edge of the Florida Peninsula extends into the Atlantic Ocean, where the waters gradually become a deep blue. The image highlights geographical features and several labeled locations on the peninsula.

The image is a satellite view showing a portion of Eastern Canada, focusing on several large dark areas of smoke indicating forest fires. The terrain is primarily covered in green and brown, suggesting a mixture of vegetation and land. White clouds are scattered across the image, particularly over Main and eastern Canada. The sky is predominantly clear around the areas marked by smoke. In the upper part of the image, there are clearer skies, transitioning from darker to lighter shades.

The image displays a captivating night sky with star trails forming circular patterns due to the Earth's rotation. The trails are bright lines against a deep blue sky. Below, a mountain range is partially shrouded in a layer of clouds. The mountain's silhouette is dark, contrasting with the white cloud cover and the bright sky. In the foreground, a winding road curves through a rocky, arid landscape.

The image is a multi-layered chart displaying the absorptivity of various atmospheric gases across different wavelengths measured in microns. Each layer represents a different gas, with specific colors indicating the absorptivity peaks. The chart consists of six horizontal sections, labeled from top to bottom: CH₄ (methane) in purple, N₂O (nitrous oxide) in orange, O₂ and O₃ (oxygen and ozone) in green, CO₂ (carbon dioxide) in red, H₂O (water vapor) in blue, and a section labeled "Atmosphere" in black. The absorptivity values range from 0 to 1 on the vertical axis, while the wavelength varies from 0.1 to 30 microns on the horizontal axis. The gases show distinctive absorption patterns with peaks at various points, highlighting their specific absorption characteristics against different wavelengths.

The animation is a satellite view showing a broad region of North America. It highlights a large area affected by wildfire smoke. The smoke-covered area is outlined with a red boundary, emphasizing its extent. The smoke appears as a thick, grayish haze across multiple states, blending with some cloud cover. The landscape beneath shows a mix of greens and browns, indicating varied terrains such as forests and plains. There are scattered white clouds outside the smoke area. At the top left, a label reads "CSPP GeoSphere" in white text on a blue background.

This animation is a satellite view showing a greyscale representation of a volcanic eruption over a small island, taken by GOES-17 ABI Band 2. The clouds are predominantly light grey against the dark grey backdrop of the ocean, with some formations appearing thicker and more pronounced. Scattered throughout the image are small islands outlined in blue. The image has a top-left logo displaying "CIMSS," a center focusing on satellite meteorology.

The animation is a satellite loop showing Lake Erie, overlaid with station models. The background is predominantly dark with the outlines of the lake and surrounding land in blue. As the sun rises, you can see the ice drifting north across the lake. Red arrows point towards areas labeled "Ice on Lake Erie." Surface wind barbs are scattered across the image indicating wind direction and speed, with some gusts highlighted in red numbers. 

The animation is a satellite view showing a large portion of the United States and surrounding areas, including parts of Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean. The land is outlined with thin yellow lines to indicate state and country borders. The animation is primarily in shades of gray, depicting cloud coverage across the region. A wide band of clouds stretches from the central to the southeastern United States, with denser clouds visible over the Gulf of Mexico and the western Atlantic Ocean. The image has a logo in the bottom left corner and text at the bottom providing time and source details.

The image is a satellite view of the northeastern United States, highlighting various geographical features. It displays dark land areas contrasted against a lighter background, with several bodies of water and landforms labeled in bright yellow text. Lake Ontario and Lake Erie are labeled in the upper left section, alongside the Finger Lakes region marked northward. The Northern Forests are indicated in the central part of the image, with Valley regions noted as agricultural areas slightly below. The Susquehanna River is highlighted as it winds through the terrain. Clouds can be seen at the bottom left, while the Atlantic Ocean spans the right side of the image. The composition includes state boundaries outlined in blue.

The image is a true color satellite map view of the northeastern United States. It primarily displays parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and surrounding states. The map shows vast green areas representing forests and rural landscapes, with major highways and cities marked with white and blue text. Cities like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cleveland, New York, and Baltimore are highlighted. Notable geographic features include Lake Erie at the top left, predominantly blue, and the Allegheny National Forest situated in northwestern Pennsylvania. The map is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean along the southeastern edge.

The image depicts the iconic Golden Gate Bridge extending across the bay in San Francisco. The bridge, painted in its signature International Orange, stands prominently against a backdrop of blue sky. The bridge's tall towers and suspension cables create a pattern of vertical and diagonal lines. Thick fog drifts partially obscures the end of the bridge. The water beneath the bridge appears greenish and choppy. In the foreground, a brown, rocky hill is visible on the left side.

The image is a satellite view highlighting valley fog over a portion of the northeastern United States. The map shows state outlines in bright blue against a dark background. The fog appears as light, wispy patterns, primarily concentrated in one area where it is labeled "Valley Fog" in yellow text with lines pointing to it. Notable states visible include Pennsylvania, New York, and surrounding regions. The image is a GOES-16 satellite visible image, with the time and date stamped at the bottom.

The image is a black-and-white satellite view showing cloud formations over a region of the central United States. State borders are outlined, including parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri. Large, billowing clouds with varied densities are visible, particularly concentrated along a diagonal line running across these states. The clouds range from small clusters to larger, more defined formations, suggesting a weather front or storm system. The ground beneath appears dark, offering contrast to the lighter clouds above.

The image is a diagram showing the absorptivity of various atmospheric gases across a range of wavelengths, measured in microns. The graph is divided into six horizontal sections, each representing a different gas or the overall atmosphere. From top to bottom, the sections show CH₄ (methane) in light purple with two distinct peaks; N₂O (nitrous oxide) in orange with several peaks; O₂ and O₃ (oxygen and ozone) in green with smaller, scattered peaks; CO₂ (carbon dioxide) in red with multiple peaks; H₂O (water vapor) in blue with numerous, significant peaks; and the atmosphere in black, depicting a solid, undulating pattern across the wavelength range. A red rectangle highlights an area around the 10-micron mark.

The image is an infrared satellite weather map showing infrared cloud temperatures over the continental United States. The map features a variety of colors indicating different temperatures. A significant storm formation is visible, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico northward into the Great Lakes region. The system is predominantly colored in bright reds and oranges, with green and blue areas showing cooler regions. To the west, smaller cloud formations appear in purple and blue. The background of the map is grayscale, representing land and ocean surfaces. A color scale bar is positioned at the top right corner, showing temperature values from -80 to 40 degrees Celsius in gradient hues. The label "Color Scale" with an arrow points to this bar. The image is overlaid with state boundaries and coastlines. The map includes informational text from "Penn State Meteorology" and details such as "GOES 16-IR BAND 13" at the top, along with a timestamp "02 May 2024 13:11:17".

The animation is a weather satellite view of west Africa and the Atlantic ocean. The Earth is displayed as a large globe, partially illuminated, with the left side of the image in darkness and the right side in daylight. The image is monochromatic gray with added colors indicating different temperature levels. Dense cloud formations with vivid red, orange, and blue enhancements suggest intense dirunal convection over central and western Africa, moving east into the Atlantic. Country borders are lightly outlined in whites. The bottom-left corner contains a timestamp and temperature scale, while the bottom-right features a logo.

The image is a schematic illustrating how satellite radiation readings are affected by clouds. It shows a gradient from the earth's surface to the top of the atmosphere. The background is a light blue gradient. Two arrows point upward from the earth's surface, representing the path of emitted radiation. The left section shows the scenario with a clear sky, where the satellite detects radiation directly from the earth's surface, with the arrow traveling unimpeded to the top. The right section shows clouds interrupting the path, with radiation detected from the top of the highest clouds. A speech bubble near a cloud states, "Clouds absorb all of the emitted IR radiation beneath them." An axis on the left indicates that temperature decreases with altitude.

Transcribed Text:

• When the sky is clear the satellite sees radiation from the earth’s surface.
• When clouds are present in the column the satellite sees radiation from the tops of the highest level cloud.
• Clouds absorb all of the emitted IR radiation beneath them.
• Temperature decreasing
• top of the atmosphere
• earth’s surface

[ON SCREEN TEXT]  IR Satellite Simulator. This activity is designed to help you understand IR satellite imagery. In the panel on the right, adjust cloud heightand surfare temperature to observe the appearance of cloudy sky and clear sky on the simulated grey-scale IR image below.

[PRESENTER] When looking at an infrared satellite image, it’s really important to remember that you’re looking at a plot of temperature. We can draw conclusions about where clouds are and how high their tops are by assuming that temperatures decrease with increasing height in the troposphere, but this assumption doesn’t always hold true.

Let’s start with this infrared satellite simulator, which allows us to control surface temperature and cloud height, and we’ll start with a situation where the surface temperature is around -8ºC, or about 18ºF, so it’s a chilly morning. And, we have a mid-level cloud which shows up over here in the brighter gray on the simulated gray-scale infrared image.

But, what if this mid-level cloud here was a low cloud like stratus? To simulate that, we’ll drag the cloud down into the lower troposphere. The cloud essentially disappears on the simulated infrared image, because its top has a very similar temperature to the surrounding ground.

In fact, if the ground cooled off some more where skies were clear, something odd happens. We’ll drop our surface temperature down to about -13ºC, or 9ºF, and the result is that the simulated infrared image actually appears brighter in the area were skies were clear than it does where low clouds were located, because the ground is actually colder than the tops of the low clouds.

Now, if we imagine that this around dawn, and then the sun rises, causing our surface temperatures to increase, watch what happens. If we increase our surface temperature to 0ºC, or 32ºF, now the simulated infrared image takes on a more typical appearance, where cloud tops appear brighter.

The scenarios I’ve shown you here really aren’t that uncommon. Sometimes the tops of low clouds have very similar temperatures, or are even warmer than the ground overnight or early in the morning. And, the appearance of infrared imagery can change dramatically during the day as the ground warms up even if the clouds themselves change very little. The key to figuring out what’s going on in a given infrared satellite image is to remember that you’re looking at temperature. Combining that knowledge with other observations will help you interpret infrared satellite images in a wide variety of situations.

The image shows a surface station plot map of Oklahoma and Texas. On each station model, temperature is marked in red, dew point in green, current weather in pink, cloud coverage as a blue circle, and wind depcited as a grey wind barb. The background of the map is plain white, allowing the data to stand out clearly.

The image is a satellite weather map from GOES-16 Band-13 depicting the central and eastern United States. It shows various colors representing infrared imagery to indicate temperature differences. A large swath of blue covers the Midwest, suggesting cooler temperatures, while patches of green, yellow, and red in the northwest, north, and a small area in the southwest represent areas with varying degrees of warmth and possibly precipitation. States are outlined with thin white lines, offering geographic context. The image appears to capture cloud cover and weather systems moving across the region.

The image is a satellite weather map showing a significant weather system across the central United States. It is a color-enhanced infrared image from GOES-16 Satellite, Band 13. The northern part of the image is predominantly blue, indicating cold temperatures, with some green and red areas suggesting warmer conditions. The image highlights three areas: Madison, WI, Missouri River, and Illinois River, marked with red labels and arrows. The bottom part of the image is mostly grayscale, suggesting calmer conditions with less cloud cover. Various shades of orange, green, and blue dominate the central part, indicating different temperature ranges and weather activities such as cloud formations.

The image is an infrared satellite weather map showing infrared cloud temperatures over the continental United States. The map features a variety of colors indicating different temperatures. A significant storm formation is visible, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico northward into the Great Lakes region. The system is predominantly colored in bright reds and oranges, with green and blue areas showing cooler regions. To the west, smaller cloud formations appear in purple and blue. The background of the map is grayscale, representing land and ocean surfaces. A color scale bar is positioned at the top right corner, showing temperature values from -80 to 40 degrees Celsius in gradient hues. The label "Color Scale" with an arrow points to this bar. The image is overlaid with state boundaries and coastlines. The map includes informational text from "Penn State Meteorology" and details such as "GOES 16-IR BAND 13" at the top, along with a timestamp "02 May 2024 13:11:17".

The image displays a weather radar map of the United States, highlighting precipitation across various regions. The map features a dark gray background, representing land areas, while the radar echoes are depicted in vibrant colors ranging from green to yellow, indicating varying intensities of rainfall. Areas with heavier precipitation appear in bright yellow and green, particularly over the central and southeastern United States. Sparse light blue patches illustrate light rain, primarily in the northwestern regions. Additionally, a color scale is positioned in the lower left corner, indicating precipitation rates, with colors transitioning from purple (indicating low levels) to red (indicating high levels).

The image is a diagram illustrating the absorptivity of various gases in the atmosphere across different wavelengths, measured in microns. It is divided into six horizontal sections, each indicating a different gas: methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), oxygen and ozone (O₂ and O₃), carbon dioxide (CO₂), water vapor (H₂O), and the atmosphere as a whole. Each section displays colored peaks representing the absorptivity at specific wavelengths. Methane is shown in pink, nitrous oxide in orange, oxygen and ozone in green, carbon dioxide in red, and water vapor in blue. The bottom section, labeled "Atmosphere," is in black and illustrates the combined absorptivity. A red vertical rectangle highlights a region around the 6-micron wavelength.

The image is a complex weather chart featuring several graphs and annotations, provided by the University of Wyoming. The chart focuses on data from Corpus, Texas (CRP). The top section displays two overlapping line graphs labeled TMPF and DWF, indicating temperature in Fahrenheit and dew point over time. A third line graph, labeled RELH, represents relative humidity on a different scale. Beneath these graphs, there are rows of red dots and symbols with annotations pointing to specific details, such as "Observation at time of IR & water vapor images" and "Overcast at 2,500 feet," using red text and arrows. Below is a grid featuring CHC values displayed with small symbols. The bottom graph illustrates PMSL, representing pressure in millibars, fluctuating over time. Time markers along the bottom span from 1451Z 13 Jan to 1451Z 14 Jan.

The image is a graph showcasing the absorptivity of different atmospheric gases across a range of wavelengths, measured in microns. The graph is divided into six horizontal bands, each representing a different gas: CH₄ (methane), N₂O (nitrous oxide), O₂ and O₃ (oxygen and ozone), CO₂ (carbon dioxide), H₂O (water vapor), and the overall atmosphere. Each band displays distinct peaks and valleys indicating varying levels of absorption at different wavelengths. CH₄ is marked with pink peaks at higher wavelengths. N₂O has orange peaks, mostly concentrated at mid-range wavelengths. The O₂ and O₃ region is the least prominent, with smaller green peaks. CO₂ has large red peaks around 2 and 3 microns. H₂O shows significant broad blue peaks spanning a range of wavelengths. The black band at the bottom highlights the overall atmospheric absorption. A red box outlines a specific wavelength region between approximately 5 and 6 microns. The x-axis is labeled "Wavelength (microns)" ranging from 0.1 to 30, and the y-axis is labeled "Absorptivity" ranging from 0 to 1.

The image is a split comparison of weather satellite data. The left half displays a grayscale satellite view of a geographical area with states outlined in blue lines. Various shades of gray represent cloud coverage, with a prominent band of thick clouds running diagonally from northwest to southeast. The right half shows the same region with a colored infrared satellite view. The colors range from dark blue to yellow and orange, indicating varying levels of water vapor in the atmosphere. A strong band of blue indicates high moisture levels in the northwest, transitioning to yellow and orange as moisture decreases toward the southeast.

The image is an infrared satellite weather map of the United States, showing cloud cover and storm activity. Dark gray areas represent clear skies while lighter grays indicate cloud cover. A significant storm system is visible in the Midwest, centered over parts of South Dakota and Minnesota, depicted in bright red and orange, signifying strong activity. Green and yellow patches highlight areas of lesser intensity. The western U.S. is mostly clear, while the southeast has scattered green areas indicating storms. A scale on the left side uses colors from dark blue to bright red to represent measurements.

The image is a grayscale satellite map showing cloud patterns across a portion of the United States, including the western and central regions. The map outlines state borders, making it possible to identify specific states. Darker areas likely indicate thicker cloud coverage or precipitation, with a particularly pronounced dark area over California and Nevada. Lighter areas are visible across states like Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri, suggesting lighter cloud cover. The clouds form swirling patterns, reflecting atmospheric movement.

The image is a satellite view showing mid-upper level winds over the Atlantic ocean and surrounding coastal regions. It displays wind patterns using colored wind barbs across a dark background with clouds visible. The arrows are blue, green, and yellow, representing different pressure levels (100-250 mb in blue, 251-350 mb in yellow, and 351-500 mb in green). A hurricane is visible just off the west coast of Florida. The image has a grid overlay marking latitude and longitude.

The image is a satellite representation of the United States, showing a view of the atmosphere captured via the GOES-16 satellite in WV Band 8. The image is predominantly gray and black, depicting various cloud formations and moisture levels across the country. Bright yellow and orange spots indicate areas of higher moisture, primarily in the northern regions and along the eastern coast. The western region features varying shades of blue and gray, showcasing cloud cover and atmospheric patterns. There are distinct swirling formations over the southeastern part of the country, indicating storm systems. The borders are sharp, with the southwest corner showing clearer skies.

The image is a radar image of a hurricane from a WSR-57 radar. The eye is visible on radar with its associated outer bands at further radii. A yellow arrow points toward a specific area of the white mass to the right side, highlighting an area of interest.

The image depicts the interior view of a large radar structure. The central feature is a tall, cylindrical base structure with a light-colored, smooth surface. Above it, there are several rectangular, cream-colored components help the radar rotate. The ceiling of the radar is geometrically patterned with panels, connected at angular joints, giving a domed shape. The lighting is warm, accentuating the textures and structures within the radar.

The image depicts a weather radar tower under a clear blue sky. The structure is a tall, lattice-style metal tower with an accessible staircase running up its center. At the top of the tower sits a large, white spherical radar dome, characterized by a hexagonal pattern on its surface. The metal tower is constructed with intersecting beams, forming a solid support base for the radar dome. The overall structure appears sturdy and functional, designed for weather data collection.

The image depicts a compass rose on a beige background. The compass rose has a circular design with degree markings around its perimeter in increments of 30 degrees, ranging from 0 to 360 degrees. The cardinal directions (N, S, E, W) and intercardinal directions (NE, SE, SW, NW) are labeled between the points of the compass. The central feature of the compass is a traditional starburst design with elongated black triangular points extending towards each cardinal and intercardinal direction. Intertwined with the compass design are two colorful, stylized dragon figures. One dragon is purple with white markings, and the other is green with red markings. They weave through and around the compass points.

The image is a map of the contiguous United States displaying NEXRAD radar coverage below 10,000 feet above ground level (AGL). The map features three shaded circles representing coverage at different altitudes: 4,000 feet shown in pale yellow, 6,000 feet in light orange, and 10,000 feet in light blue. Each circle is centered on specific radar sites labeled with identifiers like KBLX, KABR, and KLIX, among others. The circles overlap, forming a network of radar coverage across most of the U.S. Terrain blockage is indicated with brown shading, showing areas where over 50% of the beam is blocked. The bottom left corner includes a mileage scale and a legend explaining the color coding. The NOAA logo is positioned at the bottom right corner of the map.

The animation is a reflectivity loop with a black background, showing showers moving across central Pennsylvania. Key city acronyms are marked with white dots labeled BFD, DUJ, IPT, UNV, AOO, JST, and MDT. A section highlighted with a yellow circle and labeled "Stationary Echoes" is near the center. The map outlines are drawn in red. The right side features a color-coded legend indicating reflectivity in decibels (dBZ) ranging from 5 to 75, with colors varying from purple to white. The map's sidebar provides detailed technical information about the radar data.

The image shows a large, white hailstone with an irregular, jagged surface resting on a textured blue towel. The hailstone is roughly spherical but consists of various protrusions and indentations, giving it a complex texture. To the right of the hailstone, there is a U.S. quarter , which provides a sense of scale, indicating that the hailstone is significantly larger in height and diamater than the quarter.

The image shows a side view illustration of a weather radar system. On the right, there is a radar tower with a geodesic dome structure on top, depicted in black and white. A flat horizontal landscape in rich green lies at the bottom of the image. Above, a light purple radar beam extends diagonally from the radar, passing over a section of simplified, white clouds on the left. These clouds are positioned over the green landscape and are shown releasing precipitation, suggested by white specks below them. The background features a gradient sky transitioning from dark to light blue from top to bottom.

Six weeks ago today, I used this time to talk about snow squalls that had moved across the state on February 19th, leading to a 50 car accident on Interstate 81. Fortunately, nobody was killed.

Well, as many of you know, last Monday, history repeated itself on I 81 in central Schuylkill County, about 25 miles southwest of that February pile up. Except this time six people lost their lives.

The visible satellite view on Monday, March 28th showed roiling cellular convective clouds moving quickly from northwest to southeast, consuming Pennsylvania from mid morning until early evening, associated with a disturbance and a pocket of unusually cold air aloft moving through the state.

In total, 20 snow squall warnings were issued for parts of Pennsylvania that day, but such a warning was not in effect at the time and location of the accident. The 80 vehicle pile up, which occurred around 10:30 in the morning, closed a seven mile stretch of interstate and the northbound lanes didn't reopen until early Wednesday.

Now, even if a snow squal warning had been in effect, it might not have prevented the pile up. Drivers might not have received the warnings, and as this chilling video shows, it can be really hard to reduce speed when whiteout conditions come on so quickly.

One reason that a snow squall warning wasn't in effect involves a peculiarity of radar coverage in that area. Consider that as a radar beam travels away from the source, it moves higher in the sky. 50 miles out, the bottom of the beam is already more than 1,500 feet above the starting elevation, and by 100 miles, it's almost 6,000 feet above its original height. So if precipitating clouds aren't very tall and are far enough from the radar, the beam can overshoot all or some of the precipitation.

Now, here, the red dot marks the location of last Monday's pile up. The yellow dots are the four nearest National Weather Service radars. And let me put the distance to the crash site on. Only the Central Pennsylvania radar is less than 100 miles away.

And with that in mind, here's a look at radar coverage 3,000 feet above ground level over Pennsylvania. I've roughly outlined a few borders of the state and put a red dot at the crash site, where you don't see green, which includes the Harrisburg area and long stretches of several interstates. There is no radar coverage at 3,000 feet.

Now, let's go up higher to 6,000 feet above ground level. The radar coverage is much better, but there's still a small area close to the crash site where radar is more or less blind at that level.

You can see the effect of this issue demonstrated by this radar loop as the squall that led to the deadly crash seems to disappear as it moves southeastward toward that part of Interstate 81. The precipitation, though heavy, was simply too shallow, falling below the radar beam.

Now, meteorologists aren't flying completely blind here. There are hybrid satellite images that blend three types of satellite data that can identify, in some cases, which clouds are producing heavy snow. It's a somewhat primitive but still useful substitute for radar.

Are we done with snow yet here in the Commonwealth? Stay tuned. The extended forecast is next.

The image is a weather radar display centered on a region around St. Louis, Missouri. It shows a multicolored weather pattern with various intensities of precipitation. The radar map includes shades of blue, green, yellow, orange, and red, indicating different levels of rain intensity. Blue areas represent lighter precipitation, while green to red areas indicate increasing intensity, with red being the heaviest. The map outlines state borders and major locations are marked with white dots, with labels such as STL (St. Louis), BLV, TBN, and others. To the right of the radar image is a legend showing decibel levels (dBZ) ranging from -25 to 75 and corresponding colors. There are also labels and identifiers for various cities and geographical points within the radar coverage.

The image is a weather chart from Scott AFB Belleville, IL, spanning from 0456Z on December 16, 2019, to 0556Z on December 17, 2019. The chart consists of several line graphs and symbols. At the top, two line graphs represent temperature measurements (TMPF and DWP, in purple and green, respectively) on a scale from 25 to 30. Below that, TMPF and WSYM are shown with a wavy line and star symbols in green. The sky conditions (SKY) are illustrated with a series of red circles mostly filled in. The next graph shows CHC measurements (CHC3, CHC2, CHC1) with various symbols, including letters and numbers, against a scale from 0 to 15. This is followed by T6XF and T8NF plots, with dots and numbers beneath. Under that, P06I and SNOW indicators, with numbers for snowfall. At the bottom, PMSL is depicted with a curved line, alongside a time scale marked by a yellow vertical bar indicating a specific time at 29. All content is attributed to the University of Wyoming at the bottom right.

The image is an informative graphic detailing a new Doppler radar scanning method, titled “SAILS” which stands for Supplemental Adaptive Intra-Volume Low-Level Scan. It features a large radar dome in the bottom left corner. Above it, yellow letters spell out "SAILS" on a blue background, with each letter's word listed underneath. In the top right corner are logos for the NOAA and National Weather Service. Below, a maroon section contains the text “A New Way Doppler Radar Scans the Sky.”

To the left, a blue box explains the method’s benefit: "Weak, short-lived tornadoes are the most difficult to predict and detect," highlighting the importance of additional radar scans. The right side illustrates the scanning process using a three-step diagram, with each stage numbered in yellow circles. Arrows indicate scanning directions, with "lowest elevation" at the base and "highest elevation" at the top. Text beside each step explains:

1. The radar starts at the lowest elevation, scanning upward for about two minutes.
2. It returns to the lowest elevation and scans again after reaching the middle elevation.
3. It goes back to the middle elevation, scanning up to the highest elevation.

A red box notes the total process time as about five minutes. The background features a cloudy sky. The website "www.weather.gov(opens in a new window)" is written along the bottom.

The image shows a cumulonimbus cloud towering against a dark blue sky, indicative of a thunderstorm. Superimposed over this image is a diagram highlighting the updraft and inner core reflectivity structure of the cloud. Two arrows point upward through the cloud, labeled "updraft," depicting the rising air motion within the storm. Surrounding these arrows are concentric colored rings: a red core, followed by orange, then green, representing different simulated reflectivity levels. Text labels indicate "Suspended drops or hail" near the red and orange rings and "Simulated Reflectivity" near the outer rings. 

The image shows a composite reflectivity map of most of the continental US east of the Mississippi river The map is mostly brown with state borders visible. Patches of green, yellow, and red indicate different intensities of precipitation. Green areas signify light rain, yellow areas moderate rain, and red areas heavy rain or thunderstorms. The densest precipitation is concentrated over the southern Midwest, with scattered showers stretching northeast. A few outlined rectangles suggest severe thunderstorm and tornado watches. At the top, there is a legend indicating rain, mix, and snow, along with the timestamp and date "0:15 UTC WED May 8, 2024", and a label from "PENN STATE METEOROLOGY".

The image is a detailed weather chart from Georgetown Sussex, DE, (GED) covering data from specific dates in March 2015. The chart is segmented into multiple horizontal panels representing various meteorological variables over time. The top panel displays temperature (TMPF) and dew point (DWPF) with two lines graphed against time on the horizontal axis, showing a downward trend. The relative humidity (RELH) is marked on the secondary vertical axis on the right. Below, weather symbols (WSYM), gusts (GUST), and sky conditions (SKYK) are presented using symbols and patterns. A yellow vertical band highlights data around March 15th. Additional panels provide data for cloud coverage (CHC2), temperature and precipitation (T6XF, T6NF, P06I), and pressure (PMSL) trends over time. The bottom of the chart includes the time scale from March 5 to March 6, 2015, with credits to the University of Wyoming.

The image is a map of the United States titled "NEXRAD Coverage Below 10,000 Feet AGL." It depicts the coverage areas of NEXRAD weather radar stations across the country. The map uses colored circles to indicate coverage at different altitudes above ground level. Light yellow represents 4,000 feet, mustard yellow represents 6,000 feet, and light blue outlines the areas covered at 10,000 feet. These circles are distributed across the U.S. with airport codes labeled at the center of each circle. A legend is located at the bottom left, explaining the color coding, alongside a distance scale in miles. A NOAA logo is present in the bottom right corner.

This composite reflectivity animation loop shows multiple shower and thunderstorm complexes moving across the Northeast US. waves of showers and thunderstorms are seen moving eastward across New York, moving into New England, and eventually off the coast. Underneath the reflectivity layer is a satellite loop showing clouds moving with the precipitation. The land is colored in black with state borders outlined in grey. at the bottom, a reflectivity scale from 0 to 70 is visible along with the tag "Plymouth State Weather Center".