New Satellites Can Help Spot And Predict Wildfires

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A new weather satellite will launch on Tuesday carrying state of the art science instruments that will improve weather forecasting.

The Joint Polar Satellite Systems 1 (JPSS1) will be part of a network of five satellites sending back weather information two times faster and with six times the vertical resolution. Once activated it will be renamed NOAA 20. This information will not only help in hurricane forecast track prediction but also track critical fire weather conditions.

Californians should be excited this new tool will help give firefighters an upper hand in the firefight. The satellite can see small wildfires easily, allowing officials to get a head start on these smaller fires before they spread.

The improved weather forecasting will allow forecasters to predict critical fire weather conditions in the vicinity and relay that information for firefighters in the field. The new satellite can also easily track wildfire smoke, which will help with air quality reporting.