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Atmospheric Rivers Data Access and Tools
From discovery to visualization, data tools such as Earthdata Search, Worldview, and Application for Extracting and Exploring Analysis Ready Samples (AppEEARS) guide users in making the most of atmospheric rivers data.
Featured Atmospheric Rivers Observation Method: VIIRS
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments are aboard the joint NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) and NOAA-platforms. The orbits of the platforms make them ideally positioned to observe atmospheric rivers reaching the west coast of North America. The VIIRS instruments include five high-resolution image bands, sixteen moderate-resolution bands, and one unique panchromatic day/night band ultra-sensitive in low-light conditions. The VIIRS instruments build on the heritage of their successful predecessors, the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWIFS).
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) will help ensure continuity of Earth observations after the upcoming retirement of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS).
With the eventual retirement of the Terra and Aqua platforms, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments will take the lead in daily Earth observations.
19 MIN READ
Atmospheric Rivers Datasets
| Dataset | Platforms | Instruments | Temporal Extent | Location Keywords | Spatial Extent | Data Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOES WATER VAPOR TRANSPORT V1 | GOES-8 | GOES-8 Imager | 1987-05-05 to 1988-11-30 | WESTERN HEMISPHERE | N: 45 S: -30 E: -30 W: -120 | CD |
| GOES-R PLT Surface Radiance Red Lake V1 | SURFRAD | BAROMETERS, HUMIDITY SENSORS, PYRANOMETERS, Pyrgeometer, PYRHELIOMETERS, RADIOMETERS, TEMPERATURE PROBES | 2017-03-27 to 2017-04-12 | ARIZONA | N: 35.67 S: 35.65 E: -114.055 W: -114.075 | ASCII |
| GPM Ground Validation Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) OLYMPEX V1 | NASA DC-8 | AVAPS | 2015-11-12 to 2015-12-19 | WASHINGTON | N: 48.202 S: 46.2982 E: -124.564 W: -128.876 | ASCII |
| GPM Ground Validation Albert Head (AHD) Ground Meteorological Station (MET) OLYMPEX V1 | GROUND STATIONS | FD12P WEATHER SENSOR, RAIN GAUGES, TEMPERATURE SENSORS, Visibility Sensor | 2015-11-13 to 2016-01-17 | BRITISH COLUMBIA | N: 48.39 S: 48.37 E: -123.46 W: -123.48 | ASCII - XML |
| GPM Ground Validation Composite Satellite Overpasses OLYMPEX | DMSP 5D-3/F16, NOAA-19, DMSP 5D-3/F17, NOAA-18, METOP-B, GCOM-W1, GPM, METOP-A, DMSP 5D-3/F19, Suomi-NPP, DMSP 5D-3/F18 | SSMIS, MHS, AMSR2, DPR, GMI, ATMS | 2015-11-01 to 2016-05-01 | WASHINGTON | N: 57.4634 S: 37.3591 E: -88.4232 W: -157.22 | HDF5 |
| GPM Ground Validation Dual-Frequency Dual-Polarized Doppler Radar (D3R) UCONN | GROUND STATIONS | D3R | 2023-01-01 to 2023-04-10 | CONNECTICUT | N: 42.177 S: 41.459 E: -71.776 W: -72.74 | netCDF-4 |
| GPM Ground Validation Duke Microwave Radiometer (MWR) IPHEx | GROUND STATIONS | MWR | 2014-05-01 to 2014-06-15 | NORTH CAROLINA | N: 35.8046 S: 35.5199 E: -82.6604 W: -83.0948 | netCDF-3 |
| GPM GROUND VALIDATION ENVIRONMENT CANADA (EC) RADIOMETER GCPEX V1 | GROUND STATIONS | RADIOMETERS | 2012-02-14 to 2012-03-01 | ONTARIO | N: 44.2332 S: 44.2332 E: -79.7806 W: -79.7806 | ASCII |
| GPM GROUND VALIDATION ENVIRONMENT CANADA (EC) RADIOSONDE GCPEX V1 | GROUND STATIONS | RADIOSONDES | 2012-01-17 to 2012-02-29 | ONTARIO | N: 44.96 S: 43.38 E: -78 W: -79.85 | ASCII |
| GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Weather Station XET C3VP V1 | GROUND STATIONS | THERMOMETERS, PRESSURE PROBE, ANEMOMETERS, WIND VANES, PYRANOMETERS, Pyrgeometer, SUNSHINE RECORDERS, ULTRASONIC DEPTH SENSOR | 2006-10-04 to 2007-03-31 | ONTARIO | N: 44.24 S: 44.22 E: -79.77 W: -79.79 | ASCII |
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