EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -The GOES satellites orbit at the same rate as the Earth spins, which allows them to stare at hurricanes as they evolve. That, combined with advances to the sensors, gives us a view of hurricanes in motion.

Detailed explanation-2: -Next-Generation Radio (NEXRAD) is a network of 158 high-resolution Doppler Radars operated by the NWS. The network detects precipitation intensity (reflectivity) and atmospheric movement (radial velocity) across a wide column of the atmosphere, providing forecasters with a valuable cross-section analysis of a storm.

Detailed explanation-3: -For example, NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) provides infrared images of the storm. Clouds absorb infrared waves and reflect the sun’s heat differently than from calmer areas. In the images from geostationary satellites, unstable areas are colored more intensely.

Detailed explanation-4: -Lightning and Gravity Waves. The GOES satellites have a Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), the first of its kind, which maps lightning activity in hurricanes.