Amazing imagery from the GOES-16 satellite shows major weather events in 2024
The Earth was ready for its close-up this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, or GOES-16 satellites, captured several spectacular weather events from hurricanes, supercell storms, wildfires and an amazing total solar eclipse.
About the GOES-16 satellite - The GOES-16, also known as GOES-R before it reached its geostationary orbit, is operated by NOAA and is focused on the Americas.
With the use of sophisticated imagers, the satellite offers high spatial and temporal resolution imagery of Earth throughout 16 spectral bands at visible and infrared wavelengths. Four other scientific instruments for tracking the Sun and space weather are also aboard the spacecraft.
Here's a sampling of its amazing images captured this year:
The Great North American Eclipse of 2024
Occurring on April 8, the GOES-16 satellite captured the Moon's shadow as it crossed into North America, passed over Texas and headed northeast before coming to an end over the North Atlantic Ocean.
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California's Park Fire spread burned hot and fast
California's Park Fire was the largest wildfire in the state this year, starting on July 24 and fully contained by Sept. 26, the fire burned 429,603 acres of land and destroyed 709 structures, according to CalFire.
Great Plains erupts in supercell storms
Spring's warm temperatures fueled storms in late April, causing large supercell storms for much of the Great Plains states which caused more than multiple tornadoes, according to NOAA. The water vapor imagery shown below in green are areas of maximum moisture developing in the storms.
The year of the aurora borealis in North America
This year, the Sun’s excess solar flares and winds wreak havoc on the Earth’s magnetic field. It has caused several aurora borealis sightings in North America, according to NASA.
Heavy rains primed NC for severe flooding from Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene left massive destruction along the Florida coast when making landfall on Sept. 26. It caused historic flooding, wide-ranging power outages and other damage in an 800-mile northward path that affected the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia, and other states.
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CONTRIBUTING Karina Zaiets
IMAGE SOURCE CSU/CIRA and NOAA
This story was updated to add new information.