CIMSS-NOAA Weekly Report [ Archive ]

CIMSS-NOAA WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 17, 2026

DATA, INFORMATION, AND USE-INSPIRED SCIENCE:

PEOPLE, AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:

CIMSS's Steve Greb co-chairing NASA Decadal Survey Water Quality Working Group: Steve Greb of the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies was recently appointed to co-chair NASA’s water quality team that will identify priorities for the agency’s next Decadal Survey. Every ten years, NASA goes through a self-evaluation to determine the value of existing Earth observations capabilities and technologies, assess the potential of new approaches enabled by recent technology, and identify any new or changed science priorities that would advance the ways NASA’s space-based observations inform hydrological sciences and relevant applications. Steve was asked to pick 12 scientists from anywhere in the world to serve on a “dream team” to participate in writing this forward-thinking document (11 of 12 accepted). This will be an exciting challenge over the next 6 months for Steve and the team. (Steve Greb, CIMSS)

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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: "Sinlaku Intensifies to Category 5, threatens the Marianas and Guam" (Apr. 12), "Super Typhoon Sinlaku rapidly intensifies to a Category 5 storm" (Apr. 12), "Typhoon Sinlaku makes landfall on Saipan and Tinian in the Mariana Islands" (Apr. 14), "Severe thunderstorms produce tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds across southern Wisconsin" (Apr. 14) and "Lightning-related fatality in Wisconsin" (Apr. 15). (S. Bachmeier, T. Wagner, CIMSS, 608-890-1980)

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Figure: Himawari-9 Infrared image at 1740 UTC on 12 April 2026 -- showing Super Typhoon Sinlaku as it intensified to a Category 5 storm southeast of Guam and the Mariana Islands.

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Figure: GOES-19 Infrared image at 2236 UTC on 14 April 2026 -- showing severe thunderstorms that were producing tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds across southern Wisconsin.

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