Arctic Blast

An arctic blast took hold of the continental United States in the middle of January 2024, ushering in far-reaching subzero temperatures and snow.

The frigid winter air spread across most of the country, even extending all the way down to the bottom of Texas.

While the Midwest received more winter weather and heavy snow, cites along the east coast like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City received the most amount of snowfall from this system in almost 2 years.

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Contributions by: Dakota Smith and Josh Reiter

Satellite imagery of this event:

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Newly Fallen Snow Across the Southern United States

Description:

A high resolution satellite view of newly-fallen snow across the Southern United States.


Phenomena: Winter Weather Snowfall

Satellite: NOAA-20 NOAA-21 S-NPP

Product: GeoColor

Instrument: VIIRS

Snow Spans Across the Surface of the Continental US

Description:

Polar-orbiting satellites shows the snow in white contrasted against the surface, covering a large area of the US.


Phenomena: Winter Weather Snowfall

Satellite: NOAA-20 NOAA-21 S-NPP

Product: Snow/Cloud Layers

Instrument: VIIRS

Clouds Stream Off of Lake Michigan

Description:

A fascinating, high resolution view of clouds streaming off of Lake Michigan.


Phenomena: Winter Weather Lake Effect

Satellite: GOES-16

Product: GeoColor

Instrument: ABI

Arctic Blast Brings Far-Reaching Snow Extent

Description:

Daylight reveals far-reaching snow cover, as far south as northern Louisiana.


Phenomena: Winter Weather Snowfall

Satellite: GOES-16

Product: GeoColor

Instrument: ABI

Lake Effect Snow Bands Set Up Across Great Lakes

Description:

Lake effect snow bands set up across Lakes Erie and Ontario.


Phenomena: Winter Weather Lake Effect Snowfall

Satellite: GOES-16

Product: GeoColor

Instrument: ABI

Lake Effect Clouds Cascade off of the Great Lakes

Description:

Lake effect clouds streaming off of the Great Lakes bring bountiful snow to the Midwest and Northeast US.


Phenomena: Winter Weather Lake Effect

Satellite: NOAA-20 NOAA-21 S-NPP

Product: Visible (I1)

Instrument: VIIRS

Lake Effect Snow Band Batters Buffalo

Description:

An intense lake effect snow band batters Buffalo and other parts of western New York.


Phenomena: Winter Weather Lake Effect Snowfall

Satellite: GOES-16

Product: GeoColor

Instrument: ABI

Extreme Cold Across the Interior of North America

Description:

It’s been cold in the interior of North America over the last few days. Ground temperatures were so cold they were similar to cloud top temperatures — a rarity in the continental US.


Phenomena: Surface Temperatures Winter Weather

Satellite: GOES-16

Product: Infrared (band 13)

Instrument: ABI

- January 16, 2024

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