Satellites Detail Devastating Tornado Outbreaks

The Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) Satellite Blog displays a variety of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), Polar Operational Environmental Satellite (POES), and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images of the significant tornado outbreaks that occurred on 22 May 2011 (which produced the deadly Joplin, Missouri EF-5 tornado and 24 May 2011 (which produced three EF-4 tornadoes across central Oklahoma).

GOES-13 visible image of the tornadic supercell near the time that a large tornado was approaching Joplin, Missouri (JLN). The shadows from a number of overshooting tops can be seen on the anvil of the thunderstorm.

MODIS images showing tornado damage paths

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) visible and true color images, posted on the CIMSS Satellite Blog, showed several tornado damage paths across northern Alabama from the 27 April 2011 tornado outbreak across the southeastern United States.

250 meter resolution MODIS 0.65 micrometer visible image showing 3 large tornado damage paths
in the vicinity of Tuscaloosa and Birmingham in northern Alabama.

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