Satellite Image of the Day: May 24, 2005
 (click here for previous images of the day from RUSMART)

NOAA's Hydrometeorologial Prediction Center (HPC) "Daily National Forecast" image shows a daily national weather prediction

Satellites: NOAA-15 and NOAA-17, part of NOAA's 850km-high (530 mile-high) Polar Orbiting satellites

 Potential (unrealized) storm cell
These two images show an isolated circulation pattern in the midwest that never quite developed into anything strong.
Note the extremely cold cloud tops as revealed by the thermal image.
Large temperature gradients (differences) can drive such isolated systems towards dangerous weather.
Click on the image(s) below for a higher-resolution (>100k) version.

False color image Thermal image