Hurricane Walaka is located just east of 170°W. It’s still located closer to NOAA’s old GOES-West satellite than to JMA’s Himawari, but the newer satellite has the better resolution to make up for the distance.
Tag Archives: satellite
Introduction to Satellite Imagery
Note: I originally wrote this article for the General Aviation Council of Hawaii Spring 2013 newsletter. Hopefully you will find it interesting and educational as well. –JB
Satellite imagery is very useful for identifying, tracking, and forecasting weather systems. It is even more important in Hawaii, given our remote location and lack of nearby observations.
Geostationary Satellites
Some of the most common types of satellite images are from geostationary satellites. Geostationary satellites orbit the Earth over the equator at an altitude of about 22,300 miles. At this altitude, the speed of the satellite matches the rotation of the Earth, and the satellite remains over the same location on the surface. Because it remains stationary over the same location, a geostationary satellite can provide constant monitoring of clouds and weather patterns.