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Day Cloud Type RGB

Alternative name: Cloud Type RGB

VIIRS Cloud Type RGB with interpretation -- 15 November 2018, 12:31 UTC

Main applications (Daytime)

  • Detection of high-level thin cirrus clouds

  • Detection of high-level thin aerosol plumes

  • Identification of cloud types

  • Indication of dry airmass regions

Remarks

  • This RGB provides information on cloud height.

  • Similar to Day Cloud Type Distinction RGB, which uses IR10.x temperature in the red component.

  • The RGB is newly introduced to FCI.

RGB Recipes by Satellite Instrument

MTG FCI Day Cloud Type RGB

Agreed upon at the online workshop 2026-05-13

Proposed (M. Setvák, O. Nedělčev, 2026)

Colour beam Channel Range min Range max Unit Gamma
Red NIR1.37 0.4 70 % 4.0
Green VIS0.64 2.5 100 % 1.0
Blue NIR1.6 0 85 % 0.85

GOES ABI Day Cloud Type RGB

Colour beam Channel Range min Range max Unit Gamma
Red NIR1.37 0 10 % 1.5
Green VIS0.64 0 78 % 1
Blue NIR1.6 0 59 % 1

Variant: Day Cloud Type Distinction RGB

Alternative name: Day Cloud Phase Distinction RGB

VIIRS Day Cloud Type Distinction RGB -- 18 May 2020, 11:28 UTC

Main applications (Daytime)

  • General cloud analyses

  • Detection of convective initiation

Remarks

  • This RGB uses nearly the same channels as the Day Microphysics RGB, but with a different colour assignment, resulting in a distinct appearance---though the underlying information is largely similar. The main difference is that the Day Microphysics RGB includes particle size information via the IR3.8 reflectance in the green beam.

    • Day Cloud Type Distinction RGB emphasizes cloud optical thickness and temperature.

    • Day Microphysics RGB focuses on cloud top microphysics and optical thickness.

  • The name "Day Cloud Phase Distinction" is commonly used by some forecasters, but can be misleading, as this RGB is more like the Day Cloud Type RGB and very different from the Day Cloud Phase RGB. The preferred term is Day Cloud Type Distinction RGB.

  • While this RGB resembles the Cloud Type RGB in typical colours, the interpretation differs in parts, which may be confusing if both RGBs are used. Notably, this RGB uses IR10.x in the red beam (from ABI and AHI), while the Cloud Type RGB uses NIR1.37.

GOES ABI Day Cloud Phase Distinction RGB

Colour beam Channel (difference) Range min Range max Unit Gamma
Red IR10.3 280.7 219.6 K 1.0
Green VIS0.64 0 78 % 1.0
Blue NIR1.6 1 59 % 1.0

Himawari AHI Cloud Phase Distinction RGB

Colour beam Channel (difference) Range min Range max Unit Gamma
Red IR10.4 280.7 219.6 K 1.0
Green VIS0.64 0 85 % 1.0
Blue NIR1.6 1 50 % 1.0