Notice: As of 4:26 p.m. EDT,
the GOES-16 ABI Imager (GOES-East) is offline due to a reported thermal anomaly.
No GOES-East images will be updated while the satellite is offline.
As soon as data flow is restored, we will begin processing images and update the site.
GOES-West continues to operate normally.
4 Jun 2024 - 12:00 EDT
4 Jun 2024 - 16:00 UTC
GOES-West CONUS - Air Mass
1 hour loop - 12 images - 5 minute update
To enlarge, pause animation & click the image. Hover over popups to zoom. Use slider to navigate.
While GOES animation code will not run on older Internet Explorer browsers,
they work in the newest versions of Microsoft Edge. If you are using
Internet Explorer, please try a different browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or
MS Edge are all supported.
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1456 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1501 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1506 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1511 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1516 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1521 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1526 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1531 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1536 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1541 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1546 UTC
Air Mass - RGB based on data from IR & water vapor - 04 Jun 2024 - 1551 UTC
Key for AirMass RGB:
1 - Jet stream / potential vorticity (PV) / deformation zones / dry upper level (dark red / orange)
2 - Cold air mass (dark blue/purple)
3 - Warm air mass (green)
4 - Warm air mass, less moisture (olive/dark orange)
5 - High thick cloud (white)
6 - Mid level cloud (tan/salmon)
7 - Low level cloud (green, dark blue)
8 - Limb effects (purple/blue)
Air Mass RGB is used to diagnose the environment surrounding synoptic systems by enhancing temperature and moisture characteristics of airmasses. Cyclogenesis can be inferred by the identification of warm, dry, ozone-rich descending stratospheric air associated with jet streams and potential vorticity (PV) anomalies. The RGB can be used to validate the location of PV anomalies in model data. Additionally, this RGB can distinguish between polar and tropical airmasses, especially along upper-level frontal boundaries and identify high-, mid-, and low-level clouds.