Satellite
Infrared Satellite Explained: Cloud-Top Temperatures and Nighttime Weather
How infrared satellite imagery works at night, why colder cloud tops matter, and how meteorologists use it for storms and tropical cyclones.
Quick answer: Infrared satellite senses temperature. Cold cloud tops often indicate tall clouds, which can be important for thunderstorms and tropical cyclones.
Temperature view
Infrared imagery does not need daylight. It estimates temperatures of cloud tops, land, and water surfaces.
Taller thunderstorm clouds are usually colder because they reach higher into the atmosphere.
Storm clues
Very cold cloud tops can highlight strong convection, but they do not prove severe weather at the ground.
Meteorologists compare infrared trends with radar, lightning, model data, and observations.
Tropical use
Infrared imagery is useful over oceans where radar coverage is limited.
Changes in cloud-top patterns can show bursts of convection near tropical cyclone centers.