CIMSS-NOAA Weekly Report [ Archive ]

CIMSS-NOAA WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 19, 2025

DATA, INFORMATION, AND USE-INSPIRED SCIENCE:

PEOPLE, AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:

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TRAINING AND EDUCATION:

CIMSS Scientist Visits Milwaukee National Weather Service Office: This week Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies scientist Tim Wagner visited the Milwaukee/Sullivan National Weather Service Forecast Office (NWS MKX) for an annual early winter training session and conversation. The training focused on the use of satellite observations for winter weather situational awareness and forecasting, with a special emphasis on Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) observations including the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT), and thermodynamic profiles and gridded products from the NOAA-Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS). He also provided an update on the GeoXO program and its expected suite of imagers and sounders. This visit continued a decade-long tradition of CIMSS employees engaging with the NWS MKX office to help support their mission. (T. Wagner, CIMSS, 608-890-1980) 

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CIMSS Satellite Blog Updates: The Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) Satellite Blog (https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/) was updated with the following posts: "Multiple pyrocumulonimbus clouds produced by a bushfire in southwestern Queensland, Australia" (Dec. 13), "Potential Distrails Over Northern Lake Michigan" (Dec. 15) and "Downslope high wind event across the Colorado Foothills, and a wind-driven grass fire in eastern Colorado prompting evacuations" (Dec. 17). (S. Bachmeier, T. Wagner, CIMSS, 608-890-1980)

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Figure: NOAA-20 VIIRS True Color RGB image at 1745 UTC on December 15, 2025 -- showing cloud-free lines that were possibly aircraft dissipation trails over northern Lake Michigan.

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Figure: GOES-19 Water Vapor image at 2242 UTC on December 17, 2025 -- displaying a zone of subsidence-induced warming/drying (brighter shades of yellow to orange) that led to the development of strong downslope winds along the Front Range of Colorado.

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