Noctilucent Clouds

Severe Weather and Heavy Rainfall in the Ohio Valley; Heat Continuing in the South and Southeast

Severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts will be possible from the mid-Mississippi Valley into parts of the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians tonight. Heavy rain associated with these storms may lead to considerable flash and urban flooding impacts across portions of the Ohio Valley. Mid-summer heat persists from the Central Plains to the Southeast. 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.