Derived Product Imagery from GOES-8

Abstract Derived product imagery (DPI) is a method of presenting quantitative meteorological information, derived from satellite measurements, as a color-coded image at single-pixel resolution. Its intended use is as animated sequences to observe trends in the displayed quantities, which for the GOES-8 are total precipitable water, lifted index, and surface skin temperature. Those products are produced once per hour, over the continental United States and the Gulf of Mexico. This paper reviews the development of the DPI and details the algorithm used for GOES-8. The quality of the products is discussed, and an example is given. The greatest value of the DPI probably lies in comparing a sequence of the satellite product with a sequence derived from a numerical forecast. In this way, deviation of the forecast from reality is readily exposed.