Lesson 1
Meteorological Satellite Orbits
Lesson 2
Review of Radiative Transfer
Lesson 3
Visible Image Interpretation
Lesson 4
Infrared Image Interpretation
Lesson 5
Multispectral Image Interpretation
Lesson 6
Fires & Aerosols
Lesson 7
Winds
Lesson 8
Sounders
Lesson 9
Fog and Stratus
Lesson 10
Thunderstorm
Lesson 11
Winds
Lesson 12
Hurricanes
Lesson 13
Global Circulation
Lesson 14
Synoptic Scale
Lesson 15
Global Circulation
Lesson 16
Satellite Oceanography
Lesson 17
Precipitation


Central Dense Overcast

"Central Dense Overcast", or CDO is the cirrus cloud shield of the storm that results from the thunderstorms in the eyewall of a tropical cyclone and its rainbands. The CDO is typically uniform, showing the cold cloud tops of the cirrus with no eye apparent prior to the tropical cyclone reching hurricane strength (33 m/s, 64 kts, 74mph).Tropical cyclones that have nearly circular CDO's are indicative of favorable, low vertical shear environments. Once the storm reaches hurricane strength an eye can usually be seen in either the infrared or visible channels of the satellites.


Return to Lesson 12

Return to Satellite Meteorology Main Page
AOS Main Page
Current Madison Weather
CIMSS GOES Gallery