AIRS Captures U.S. Big Chill

The current winter storm system blasting much of the United States is depicted in this new satellite image from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite. AIRS was built and is managed by JPL. The image shows the temperature of the storm's cloud tops or the surface of Earth in cloud-free regions. The coldest cloud-top temperatures appear in purple, indicating towering cold clouds and heavy precipitation. [more]