Science Art: GFS Model Forecasts Moisture over the Atlantic, Aug 2016

from the NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory: http://www.nnvl.noaa.gov/MediaDetail2.php?MediaID=1916&MediaTypeID=1
Click to embiggen

You’d think after the week I’ve had, I’d be sick of looking at meteorological imagery. But no. This stuff is beautiful, and meaningful, and sometimes saves lives.

This particular satellite composite image is from August, assembled from data from the GFS (Global Forecast System) – which also happens to be one of the more accurate predictors of hurricane tracks. This picture, though, shows a likelihood of rain due to the moisture content of the air over the ocean – the “predicted total precipitable water content of the atmosphere” – back in August.

It’s part of NOAA’s Environmental Visualization Laboratory image gallery.