MSGID: 1:317/3 6390d4cd   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   December 7, 2022 - Open- and Closed-Cell Clouds off the West Coast of North   
   America   
      
      Clouds   
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      For many people, cloud-watching is a frequent pastime that is best   
      enjoyed by lying back to look upwards at the fluffy shapes as they pass   
      overhead. Clouds are also fascinating to view from space, where   
      patterns can be seen forming across hundreds of miles at a time.   
      
      On December 5, 2022, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer   
      (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of a   
      large bank of open- and close-cell clouds over the Pacific Ocean off   
      the coast of North America. The cloud formation stretches over an area   
      of at least 1,100 square kilometers (425 square miles) off the coasts   
      of British Columbia (south) and Alaska.   
      
      Large banks of marine stratocumulus clouds frequently form in stable   
      air off the western shores of large landmasses and often include both   
      open-cell and closed-cell clouds. The basic structure the clouds are   
      built on are hexagonal “cells” that resemble compartments in a   
      honeycomb. Open-cell clouds look like empty cells, with just the   
      hexagonal structure visible. Closed-cell clouds have their compartments   
      stuffed with fluffy-looking white cloud. The presence of open- or   
      closed-cell stratocumulus clouds offer clues about the distribution of   
      precipitation. Uninterrupted decks of closed-cell clouds generally   
      produce little to no rain, whereas open cells open up as rain begins to   
      fall.   
      
      Image Facts   
      Satellite:  Aqua   
      Date Acquired: 12/5/2022   
      Resolutions:  1km (1.8 MB),  500m (6 MB),  250m ( B)   
      Bands Used: 1,4,3   
      Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC   
      
      
      
   https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2022-12-07   
       
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