Satellite Snow Loop
January 27, 2004
Referred by: Lee Grenci
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster; Lee Grenci
The satellite loop above shows a mostly snow-covered scene over a portion of the northeastern U.S. It was taken during the late morning and early afternoon (15:45 - 19:30 UT or 10:45 - 2:30 Eastern Standard Time) on March 12, 2001. Notice the cloud deck approaching from the southwest during the early afternoon hours. Snow and clouds look similar from space, but satellite loops make monitoring and mapping snow easier since clouds move and snow doesn't -- unless it's rapidly melting. Also, notice that the northeastern portion of Lake Erie is still ice-covered but that Lake Ontario (deeper than Lake Erie) is ice free. As was mentioned with yesterday's Earth Science Picture of the Day, dark splotches surrounded by brighter areas are more densely forested regions, such as the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York (upper right). However, the dark north-south streaks in southern New York are ice-free Finger Lakes (Seneca Lake at left and Cayuga Lake at right).
Related Links:
- Penn State Dept of Meteorology
- Glossary of Weather Terms
- GOES 12 Satellite
- GOES-R Series Mission Overview
- A World of Weather: Fundamentals of Meteorology
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