Noctilucent Clouds

Fire Weather Concerns for a Large Part of the Central U.S.; Severe Weather in the Central Plains

Dry and windy conditions will bring widespread fire weather concerns to the northern/central Plains and portions of the Southwest into the southern Plains. Severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging wind gusts are possible over the central Plains today into this weekend. Rain and high elevation snow is expected over parts of the Cascades and Northern Intermountain Region through Saturday. 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.