GOES Cloud Top Height - Total Operational Weather Readiness - Satellites (TOWR-S)
GOES Cloud Top Height
About
The GOES-R Cloud Top Height product produces cloud top heights in meters (which is converted to feet locally in AWIPS) for all cloudy pixels. The resolution of this product varies depending upon which image the satellite produces. For Full Disk and CONUS imagery, this product is 10km resolution. For a Mesoscale image, this product is 4km resolution. The GOES-R Cloud Top Height product is created both day and night. It is accurate to within 500 m (~1500 feet).
The GOES-R Cloud Top Height product is calculated on pixels that are determined to be either "cloudy" or "probably cloudy" by the GOES-R Cloud Mask algorithm. It utilizes GOES-R bands 11.2 um, 12.3 um, and 13.3 um. The GOES-R Cloud Top Height product relies on the infrared observations to avoid discontinuities associated with the transition from day to night.
Limitations
Sensitivity: The algorithm performance is sensitive to imagery artifacts or instrument noise.
Projection: The GOES-R Cloud Top Height product is not produced beyond 62 degrees local zenith angle.
AWIPS
Location: GOES-East and GOES-West By Sector → Select Sector → Derived Products → Cloud Top Height
Color Maps: GOES-R/GOESR-L2/VTRSB (baseline). Units are in Feet. Dark colors imply colder clouds whereas light colors imply warmer clouds.
Sampling: Feet
Quality Flags: A “good quality” flag mask is used to retain pixels that meet good quality thresholds.
Technique: This product is useful when trying to assess the height of clouds, both convective and stratiform. For convective clouds, the Equilibrium Level of the environment can be inferred from this product which can assist with evaluating storm severity. Cloud Top Height may also be used in conjunction with visible 0.64um satellite imagery (CH 02) and 10.33 um satellite imagery (CH 13). Because of the increased cadence of these imagery channels, cloud vertical growth can be assessed and then compared to the Cloud Top Height product. The GLM Lightning Detection product can also be overlayed, as the amount of lightning will likely increase as the cloud top height increases.





AWIPS Technical Details
Sector | Full Disk, CONUS, Mesoscale |
Refresh Rate | Full Disk: 10 min; CONUS: 10 min; Mesoscale: 1 min |
Size | ~30 MB/hr |
Resolution | 10 km at nadir |
Data Source | PDA |
Projection | GOES-R Fixed Grid |
Storage Location | /data_store/goes-r/ |
WMO Header | GOES-East: IXTG99 KNES; GOES-West: IXTG89 KNES |
Product Short Name | OR_ABI-L2-ACHA[F|C|M1|M2| |
Data Path | SBN EXP |
AWIPS Configuration | Baseline |
AWIPS Plugin | goes-r |
Edex Purge Rule | 1 day baseline |
Use Cases & More
More information can be retrieved from the Quick Guide, GOES-R, and STAR.
Point of Contact: Andrew Heidinger
This page was last updated on March 26, 2024.