The Best Weather Imagery of July 2015

Chris Dolce
Published: July 30,2015
Meteorologists are often wowed by various satellite, radar and computer model weather images every month, and July 2015 was no different.
This first image shows a remarkable storm system for late-July standards spinning into southern Canada on July 28.
It produced snow in the high elevations of the northern Rockies on July 27, while severe weather was ongoing farther to the east in the Plains. The video above shows a tornado spawned by the storm system that evening in southern Manitoba, Canada, which was reportedly on the ground for up to three hours. At the time this satellite image was snapped on July 28, the low was producing high winds - in some cases topping 70 mph - in the northern Plains. On its southern flank you can see a cluster of severe storms that fired up in Iowa.
(MORE: Strong Cyclone Bring Winter and Summer Weather)

Credit: NASA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vortices Surround West Upper Low

An upper low produced widespread rain and thunderstorms over the West on July 9. On the northern and western periphery of this upper low, numerous vortices (little swirls) appeared in an arc from Montana westward to Washington, and then southward just off the West Coast.

Credit: NOAA/NASA RAMMB/CIRA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smoke Swirls

Speaking of swirls, this image shows wildfire smoke in a unique pattern from southern Canada to North Dakota on July 10.

Credit: NASA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mesoscale Convective System Wind Damage

In the middle of the top image is a mesoscale convective system (MCS) that caused widespread wind damage in parts of the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians on July 13. The squall line that was a part of the MCS originally started the prior day in the Upper Midwest where it also produced wind damage.
The second image shows the overall progression of the line of storms that produced wind damage from the Upper Midwest into the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians.

Credit: NASA

Credit: NOAA's Storm Prediction Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remnant Low of Former Hurricane Dolores

Satellite imagery on July 19 caught an uncommon sight off the coast of Southern California. What you are seeing is the remnant circulation of former Hurricane Dolores from the eastern Pacific. Moisture from Dolores fueled flooding rains in the Southwest, which resulted in July rainfall records. A bridge on I-10 was also washed out due to the floodwaters.
(MORE: 5 Craziest Things About California Floods)

Credit: NASA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Typhoons Simultaneously in the Western Pacific

A common theme in the Pacific Ocean during the first half of July were the multiple tropical cyclones ongoing at the same time. In this image you can see three typhoons from left to right - Linfa, Chan-hom and Nangka - on July 8 (U.S. time). According to National Hurricane Center specialist Eric Blake, Wednesday, July 8, marked the first time there had been three typhoons simultaneously in the western Pacific Ocean since Oct. 24, 1994.

Credit: NASA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Tropical Cylcones at Once

Amazingly, a few days later on July 12, six tropical cyclones of various intensities were ongoing at the same time in the Pacific Ocean.
(MORE: How Rare is Six Tropical Cyclones at Once?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Atlantic Low Pressure System

A compact and very symmetric area of low pressure in the north Atlantic Ocean to the northwest of Ireland on July 22.

Credit: NASA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MORE: Do You Know What This Is? 15 Images of the