Noctilucent Clouds

Heavy to Excessive Rainfall in the Central Appalachians; Severe Weather in the Mid-South; Hot Weather in Southern California

Heavy to excessive rainfall may lead to flooding today over southwest Pennsylvania into northern West Virginia, and western Maryland. Severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening in the Mid-South and across Eastern North Carolina. An extended period of hot weather is forecast for parts of coastal southern California including Los Angeles from today through Thursday. Read More >

Noctilucent Clouds

On the morning of October 28^th,rare noctilucent clouds were visible over Monterey. Noctilucent clouds are thin silvery-blue cirrus-like clouds frequently seen during summer twilight conditions at high latitudes (above 50°) in both hemispheres. These clouds are primarily composed of ice crystals at heights 50-70 miles above the earth's surface. (source) However, the clouds seen this morning were formed by the launch of the NPOESS Preparatory Project spacecraft from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

Below are two images of the noctilucent clouds.