Noctilucent Clouds

Severe Weather Across the Southeast; Fire Weather Concerns; Record Warmth for the West

Severe thunderstorms will continue today across portions of the Southeast as this system tracks offshore. Meanwhile, dry and breezy conditions will increase fire weather concerns for areas of central Florida today; The threat shifts into portions of the northern Plains on Friday. Record warmth will spread for the southern Plains, Southwest, central Great Basin and interior California next week. 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.