The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), a powerful instrument designed to give scientists more refined information about Earth’s atmosphere and improve weather and climate forecasts, is now active and sending its first data back to Earth from America’s newest polar-orbiting satellite. CrIS produces high resolution, three-dimensional temperature, atmospheric pressure and moisture profiles that will be used in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather prediction computer models to forecast severe weather days in advance. In this CrIS image, the orange colors represent very warm sea surface temperatures, while magenta represents both very cold temperatures, as well as high-altitude cloud tops.

Credit: NASA/NOAA