The initial results have shown immediate applicability to convective forecasts, nowcasts, and terminal forecasts, especially when integrated with the mesoscale thermodynamic and lightning composites. Initially, the analysis was qualitative, focusing on averaged visible imagery.
The analysis is now quantitative, focusing on visible and infrared cloud frequency composites. Examples are shown here of the original visible average satellite composites, the new visible cloud frequency composites and select infrared cloud frequency composites. A few of the corresponding lightning composites derived from ground based sensors are also shown for comparison..
Over time, these satellite composites will form climatologies. The designated regimes are shown in Table 1. Light to moderate wind speeds are separated from strong flow because of the different effects on the development and inland penetration of the sea breeze. Opposing synoptic flow, as found in regimes 8 and 9, inhibits the inland penetration of the sea breeze, but also enhances convergence and upward vertical motion along the sea breeze front.
Conversely,onshore synoptic flow aids the inland penetration of the sea breeze, but limits the development of convergence along the sea breeze. The regimes do not fall into strict numerical bins on the compass, but rather allow for user input on the synpotic interpretation of both the current situation and the evolution of the flow patterns. This number may vary from hour to hour due to missing imagery.
One of the factors affecting the development and progression of the sea-breeze front is the shape of the coastline. Bays and inlets tend to be good examples of concave coastlines with respect to the water. The sea-breeze front moving inland off the bays without synoptic influence tends to diverge. Where the shape of the coastline is convex with respect to the water, such as the region where Apalachicola is at the point, the sea-breeze front moving inland will converge and convective development is more likely.
