CIMSS-NOAA Weekly Report [ Archive ]

CIMSS-NOAA WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 27, 2025

DATA, INFORMATION, AND USE-INSPIRED SCIENCE:

PEOPLE, AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:

TRAVEL AND MEETINGS:

TRAINING AND EDUCATION:

MEDIA INTERACTIONS AND REQUESTS:

SOCIAL MEDIA AND BLOG Posts:

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: "Tropical Storm Melissa forms in the Caribbean Sea" (Oct. 21) and "Lake Effect Now Active Over Great Lakes" (Oct. 23). (S. Bachmeier, T. Wagner, CIMSS, 608-890-1980)

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Figure: GOES-19 Infrared image with plots of GLM Flash Points (white), buoy reports (yellow), ship reports (cyan) and the corresponding surface analysis (beige) -- showing that most of the deep convection associated with Tropical Storm Melissa in the Caribbean Sea was located east of the surface center of circulation at 1200 UTC on 22 October 2025.

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Figure: GOES-19 Day Cloud Phase Distinction RGB image with plots of METAR surface reports (green) -- showing lake effect clouds over Lake Michigan that were producing areas of light rain as they moved inland across Lower Michigan on 23 October 2025.

PUBLICATIONS:

Paper published on using VIIRS to extend AVHRR multi-decadal data records for polar research: A manuscript titled "Extending AVHRR Climate Data Records into the VIIRS Era for Polar Climate Research" was published in Remote Sensing this week. The study introduces a statistical method for intercalibrating VIIRS bands to AVHRR channels to allow for the use of previously developed AVHRR geophysical algorithms with VIIRS data. Two existing multi-decadal, high-quality datasets — traditionally termed climate data records (CDR) — based on AVHRR data are now being continued with VIIRS: the Polar Pathfinder dataset and the Polar Pathfinder Extended (PP-x). The Polar Pathfinder Extended dataset provides high latitude surface properties, cloud characteristics, and the radiation budget. Combining AVHRR and VIIRS data into long-term, continuous, consistent, and traceable data records provides the fundamental tools for monitoring the polar environment, its weather, and climate. This research enhances our ability to observe and understand the physical and socioeconomic processes and interacting systems of the Arctic to protect and advance ​America’s interests and ensure prosperity of our Arctic residents. The use of the original AVHRR Polar Pathfinder Extended (APP-x) has resulted in many discoveries about polar climate trends and interactions. Extending the time series with VIIRS will allow the scientific community to continue polar climate research with these products well into the future. Citation: Wang, X.; Key, J.R.; Moeller, S.; Dworak, R.J.; Shao, X.; Knapp, K.R. Extending AVHRR Climate Data Records into the VIIRS Era for Polar Climate Research. Remote Sens. 2025, 17, 3495. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17203495. Funding: NOAA/NESDIS via Riverside Tech. (Xuanji Wang, CIMSS, 608-261-1390)

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Figure: July 2012 monthly mean sea ice thickness from AVHRR (left) and VIIRS (right) over the Arctic Ocean.

OTHER: