Satellites can detect and collect a lot of observations in very short amount of time. It is simple to think that anything that is white in an image is a cloud. Well, not always.
Look at these beautiful images taken by the GOES 16 satellite of the recent "Winter Weather Bomb" that left a blanket of snow from South Georgia to New England on January 4, 2018. Click here and watch a loop of images from the GOES 16 satellite for January 4, 2018.
Can you tell what is cloud, snow, and ice? In some areas, it is not until the end of the loop at nighttime that you can really tell the difference. The best way to notice difference is looking at structure in the snow created by mountains, trees, or rivers.
Thanks to those who submitted observations during the storm. Keep submitting your observations as more storms develop! Who knows, you might be the next NASA scientist. Learn how NASA scientist Dr. Yolanda Shea was inspired by watching storms like these on TV.