Atmospheric Temperature is the virtual temperature (degrees K) at 40 levels (1000 mb to 0.1 mb) throughout the atmosphere with a 40 km resolution. It is derived from HIRS/3 channels 2-7 and 10-16 and AMSU- A channels 4-15. The virtual temperature is defined as the temperature of dry air having the same density and pressure as moist air, in a system of moist air.

The product provides the information on how moisture changes with the height. The MIRS moisture profiles derived from AMSU and MHS measurements with an iterative-based retrieval technology.

The product provides the information on how temperature changes with the height. The MIRS temperature profiles derived from AMSU and MHS measurements with an iterative-based retrieval technology.

Derived Product Imagery (DPI) of Lifted Index products are generated hourly with coverage extending over the CONUS and adjacent ocean areas. Lifted Index is calculated by lifting (frontal, orographic, upper air dynamics, etc.) a parcel of air dry adiabatically while conserving moisture until it reaches saturation. At that point the parcel is lifted moist adiabatically up to 500 mb. The Lifted Index is the ambient air temperature minus the lifted parcel temperature at 500 mb. If the parcel is warmer than the environment (negative L.I.), it has positive buoyancy, and will tend to continue to rise, favoring convection. L.I. values less than -5C indicate very unstable conditions. A positive L.I. value indicates negative parcel buoyancy, and the parcel will tend to sink. This is representative of stable conditions where convection is unlikely.

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