Updated: 30-12-2024
Source: China Meteorological News Press
At present, the constellation of FENGYUN(FY) meteorological satellites has become a key infrastructure for global weather, climate and environmental monitoring and a crucial platform for international cooperation.
The number of registered subscribers of the FY Meteorological Satellite International Disaster Prevention and Reduction Emergency Support Mechanism has increased to 36 countries, providing satellite observations, products, and services to 132 countries and regions. FY satellites have been vigorously supporting the United Nations' Early Warnings for All Initiative.
In 2024, frequent extreme weather and climate events like fire, heavy rain, sand and dust storm, typhoon, and snow have gripped the world, triggering immense impacts. Global monitoring of FY meteorological satellites have chronicled these events and let's catch a glimpse of some with the timeline.
January
FY-3D
Time: January 14, 2024
Location: Iceland
Event: Volcano
On January 14, 2024, FY-3D monitored a noticeable volcanic hotspot in southwest Iceland, with conspicuous ash drifting southward.
February
FY-4A
Time: February 13 to 17, 2024
Location: Mongolia
Event: Snowstorm
Due to an extreme cold wave, a total of five snowstorms battered 15 provinces across Mongolia from February 13 to 17, 2024. The event and the resultant severe snowstorms have exerted grave impacts onthe country. As shown in the true color image captured by FY-4A, most portions of the land were covered with snow.
March
FY-3D
Time: March 29 to April 1, 2024
Location: Southern Europe
Event: Sand and dust storm
From March 29 to April 1, 2024, a large-scale sand and dust storm hailing from the Sahara Desert was moving east and north and spreading, and the Mediterranean Sea was enveloped with a thick dust. The sand and dust gradually penetrated into the Mediterranean Sea, and exerted impacts on some countries of Southern Europe as shown in the true color image captured by FY-3D.
April
FY-4B
Time: April 16 to 19,2024
Location: Yemen
Event: Severe convection and rainstorm
From April 16 to 19, 2024, severe convection and rainstorm occurred in Yemen. Monitoring image captured by FY-4B displayed that the convective system developed to the east and matured on April 17, and the rainstorm also battered Yemen, with the maximum cumulative daily precipitation registering over 200 mm.
May
FY-3D
Time: May 21 to 31, 2024
Location: India
Event: Land surface temperature
Maximum composite land surface temperature (LST) image captured by FY-3D from May 21 to 31, 2024 denoted that central and western parts of India experienced LST of over 50°C, with some areas registering over 60°C. And LST in most parts of India has exceeded 30°C.
June
FY-3D
Time: June 18, 2024
Location: the United States
Event: Fire
250m resolution true color image superimposed by fire point intensity product of FY-3D displayed that on June 18, 2024, two fires broke out in Ruidoso, New Mexico, the United States. Affected by strong winds, visible smoke over the fire point spread to the northeast. There were overt fire scars near the fire point, and the wildfire have incurred massive vegetation destruction.
July
FY-3D
Time: July 20, 2024
Location: Canada
Event: Wildfire
Influenced by persistent heatwave, drought, and lightning stroke, a raft of wildfires and high concentrations of aerosols have been reported in central and western Canada in July. Based on the aerosol monitoring of FY-3D on July 20, 2024, numerous fire spots emerged in central-western Canada, with high concentration of aerosol permeating into central-northern regions of the United States.
August
FY-4B
Time: August 19, 2024
Location: Indo-China Peninsula
Event: Thunderstorm
Since mid-August 2024, regions near the Mekong River were pestered by prolonged rainfall, and some parts of northern Thailand and northern Laos have been gripped by heavy rain. Monitoring captured by FY-4B on the afternoon of August 19,, 2024 displayed that severe thunderstorms occurred in most regions of Indo-China Peninsula.
September
FY-4B
Time: September 27, 2024
Location: Nepal
Event: Convection
From September 26 to 28, 2024, sustained rainfall raging many regions of Nepal have given rise to disasters like flooding and landslides. FY-4B cloud image demonstrated that severe convective weather occurred in most parts of Nepal on September 27, the convective cloud gradually moved from southwest to northeast, and the convective development was vigorous.
October
FY-4B
Time: October 30, 2024
Location: the Philippines
Event: Typhoon
On October 30, 2024, FY-4B true color cloud image monitoring displayed that the main structure of the cloud system of the 21st Typhoon Kong-Rey was symmetrical, the cloud body cloud system structure was dense, and the typhoon eye was explicitly visible. Northern portions of the Philippines were affected by Kong-Rey, featured by thick clouds and marked convection.
November
FY-4B
Time: November 12, 2024
Location: Western North Pacific
Event: Typhoon
On November 12, 2024, FY-4B captured the movement of 4 typhoons together, namely, 22nd Typhoon Yinxing, 23rd Typhoon Toraji, 24th Typhoon Man-yi, and 25th Typhoon Usagi over the western North Pacific.
December
FY-2H
Time: December 13, 2024
Location: Southern Indian Ocean
Event: Tropical Cyclone
FY-2H long-wave infrared enhanced cloud image captured on December 13, 2024 showed that Tropical Cyclone CHIDO over the southern Indian Ocean had an obvious spiral structure, and the convection at its center and its northern and southern regions developed robustly.
FY meteorological satellites will continue to deliver tailor-made services and products to the international community to elevate meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation capacity worldwide and contribute to global sustainable development.
In collaboration with National Satellite Meteorological Centre (NSMC) of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA)
All Images provided by NSMC
Planned by/Editor: LIU Shuqiao
