In one of the previous blog we have seen how to identify clouds when you see them by yourself. Now, let's see how clouds look like in weather satellite images. Some of you might be wondering why do I need to see satellite images when I can see the clouds with my eyes?
To be simple, if we go out and look at the sky, we do see clouds over our place, but when you see a satellite image you will see clouds over a region like a state or a country. The image shown in Fig. 1. is a satellite image of the Super Cylcone Amphan.
Fig. 1. Super cyclone Amphan
Source: India Meteorological Department
So, when you see a satellite image you can have an overview of weather of a region. The different types of clouds can be identified for weather observation and forecast.
When we observe the clouds using satellites, we need to use different bands to identify the cloud types. To be brief, satellites have different bands like visible, infrared, water vapour bands and so on. In this blog we will identify cloud types in visible and infrared bands of satellite images.
A visible band is similar to our eyes that observes using sunlight (day images) and the infrared band observes both in day and night that works similar to our infrared thermometer using temperature of an object, that nowadays most of us are using for measuring body temperature.
Viewing in Visible and Infrared band will be similar to the image shown in Fig. 2. where you can notice that in infrared image you can see the hands inside the cover while it is not seen in visible band. Every band has its merits in identifying an object.
Fig. 2. Visible and Infrared Image of a person
Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC)
How can we identify the cloud types in Visible and Infrared bands?
Now let's see how clouds look like in satellites Visible and Infrared images:
Fig. 2. Identifying Cloud types in Visible and Infrared images
Source: https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/
By seeing the above images, I think you might be able to identify different cloud types like cirrus clouds will be dark in visible and bright in infrared band, stratus will be bright in visible and dark in infrared and if you have noticed carefully you can see cumulonimbus cloud brighter in both visible and infrared images.
A good observer will become a good forecaster. Start to use satellite images and try to observe various clouds, understand them, forecast the weather and you can also verify them by yourselves. Every single step in understanding them will increase your curiosity towards the weather science and you will be surprised when you start to predict them.
Stay tuned!
Note:
To learn in detail about different bands in satellites and interpret all types of clouds in various bands do visit,