Satellites continue to provide valuable insight into our weather
Our Earth is amazing, and the technology we use to observe the blue planet is quite literally out of this world.
It’s tough to get a clear view of Atlantic Canada from space without some clouds, but it happens occasionally. High pressure allowed for a spectacular cloud-free view of the Maritime provinces from space on Monday and a nearly cloud-free perspective of Newfoundland and Labrador on Tuesday.
The shots highlight the season’s diminishing snowpack in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton and Newfoundland and Labrador and the lack of snowpack for much of mainland Nova Scotia.
We also got a glimpse of some sea ice near P.E.I. and Cape Breton and off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Satellite imagery is a vital resource when it comes to our weather. The images provide important information about cloud types and heights, temperatures and droughts and are essential for capturing views of natural disasters.
Thousands of satellites orbit Earth, and among those are two types of weather satellites — polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites.
Two polar-orbiting satellites capture the same spot on Earth twice a day — once during the day, the other at night.
Geostationary satellites orbit 35,000 kilometres above the equator and spin at the same rate as Earth, allowing them to focus on the same area 24-7. In North America, GOES-East, positioned at 75 degrees west and GOES-West at 137 degrees west, provide nearly real-time images and full disk scans of our continent from space.
The spectacular views will only improve as satellite technology improves with time.
They also help give critical insight into weather and climate patterns worldwide.