GOES-18 completed it’s drift, which began on May 16, from 89.5W to 136.8W, on June 6, where it will continue its post-launch testing from this very near GOES-West position. NOAA and CI scientists immediately resumed analyzing the new imagery as it began to flow again. NESDIS organized some of the stunning animations into an “Earth from Orbit” video and article. This blog post includes animations from the video that were created at CIRA and STAR/RAMMB. Animations from CIMSS and STAR/ASPB can be found here. All GOES-18 animations remain preliminary and non-operational.

First, a look at the GOES-West “Full Disk” domain using the Geocolor Imagery product.

Next, we focus on OCONUS regions and Geocolor imagery, including Alaska, where wildfire smoke and low clouds were observed, and Hawaii.

In the East Pacific, von karmen vortices were observed off the west coast in Geocolor imagery, and a broad upper low was diagnosed in water vapor imagery.

Over the western CONUS, severe thunderstorms were shown in Geocolor and IR imagery.

Other GOES-18 animations captured from the new position include an animation of 1-min Day Cloud Phase Distinction RGB imagery, which shows a hail swath (green) in the wake of a strong thunderstorm.

Additionally, 1-min Day Cloud Phase Distinction RGB imagery differentiates low clouds (cyan) from mid-upper clouds (green-yellow-red) over Alaska.

Finally, a comparison of GOES-17 VIS (top) and GOES-18 VIS (bottom) show great similarity between the two sensors/band.

Bill Line (NESDIS/STAR), Dan Lindsey (GOES-R), Curtis Seaman and Dakota Smith (CIRA).