Visible and Infrared (IR) Satellite Imagery

Regional Visible and Infrared (IR) Satellite Imagery

Regional Infrared and Visible Satellite Image

Southwest Visible Aviation Satellite Image

NOAA GOES Eastern US SECTOR Infrared Image

National Visible and Infrared (IR) Satellite Imagery

National Infrared Satellite

National Visible Satellite Image

US Water Vapor Satellite Image

Learn About National Infrared Satellite

The United States satellite images displayed are infrared (IR) images. Warmest (lowest) clouds are shown in white; coldest (highest) clouds are displayed in shades of yellow, red, and purple. Imagery is obtained from the GOES and METEOSAT geostationary satellites, and the two US Polar Orbiter (POES) satellites. POES satellites orbit the earth 14 times each day at an altitude of approximately 520 miles (870 km). As each orbit is made the satellite can view a 1,600 mile (2,700 km) wide area of the earth. Due to the rotation of the earth the satellite is able to view every spot on earth twice each day. Data from multiple orbits are mosaicked together to provide wide scale global and full earth views in a single image. Occasional dark triangular areas that occur on POES images are a result of gaps in data transmitted from the orbiters. This is the map for US Satellite.

A weather satellite is a type of satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather and climate of the Earth. These meteorological satellites, however, see more than clouds and cloud systems. City lights, fires, effects of pollution, auroras, sand and dust storms, snow cover, ice mapping, boundaries of ocean currents, energy flows, etc., are other types of environmental information collected using weather satellites.