A outstanding cirrus arc , which stretch from Nebraska to northerly Minnesota and Canada , foreshadowed the late wintertime storms in the Midwest and New England .
This cirrus cloud discharge was figure on November 28 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ( MODIS ) on NASA ’s Terra satellite , accordingto the NASA Earth Observatory . A meteorological phenomenon jazz as jet streaks , which move within jet streams , make the unbelievable characteristic .
K stream are narrow , tight - flow air currents in the atmosphere , typically at heights reaching 10 klick ( 6 miles ) . They form alongside zephyr masses with starkly contrasting air temperatures , and they ’re major driver of air mountain and tumultuous weather condition . The lesser - make out cat valium streaks make a dowery of the overall blue jet streams and exhibit winds that tend to be much stronger . These pockets of tight - moving wind diddle an dynamic role in generating winter storms by pushing air farther upward , help cloud formation and hurry .
The cirrus arc, as seen by satellite on 15 February 2025.Image: (Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS/LANCE and GIBS/Worldview)
spirt streaks are n’t usually visible , but their presence can be manifested in way that are very obvious , such as this late photograph cirrhus electric arc . This particular banding commence in Nebraska and extended over Lake Superior . The discharge is singular both for its sizing and its queerly everlasting shape .
The entrance to the jet run was near Nebraska . At this location , warm breeze was being draw into the current , while at the other end , the nerveless air was sinking down . The cirrus cloud swarm formed as the air got go up higher .
“ There was just enough moisture and upward motion to make localize cirrus swarm [ along the northern arc ] of the blue jet current , ” Emily Berndt , a scientist at the Short - condition Prediction Research and Transition Center , explained in NASA ’s press release .
Annotated image showing the cirrus arc.Image: (Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS/LANCE and GIBS/Worldview)
At the clock time this photo was taken , a winter tempest was brew to the due east , and it turned out to be a relativelybig one , dropping 30 cm ( 1 fundament ) of blow in some places . And indeed , wintertime hasstarted strongin much of the U.S. , withsome placesalready receiving nearly their distinctive annual totals . Bundle up , folks — looks like it ’s gon na be a recollective winter .
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