3 satellite sectors moved
Satellite moves MDS STATUS...
Each GOES weather satellite has two “mesoscale sectors” — small, movable windows that the satellite photographs roughly every 60 seconds, far more often than its routine full-disk and continental scans. Forecasters aim them at whatever is most important that day. This section announces where they are being pointed and for how long.
GOES-West is pointing mesoscale sector 1 at a point about 165 mi NNE of Flagstaff, AZ — to support fire weather operations. That means this patch of sky gets a fresh satellite image about once a minute instead of every 5 to 10 minutes, so forecasters can watch storms develop almost in real time.
- Centre point
- 37.5°N, 111.0°W view on map
- Window
- until
- Reason given
- fire wx and thunderstorm monitoring
GOES-East is pointing mesoscale sector 1 at a point about 65 mi SW of Charleston, WV — in support of wx ops from the Ohio Valley and Central Appalachians. That means this patch of sky gets a fresh satellite image about once a minute instead of every 5 to 10 minutes, so forecasters can watch storms develop almost in real time.
- Centre point
- 37.7°N, 82.5°W view on map
- Window
- from until
- Reason given
- wx ops from the Ohio Valley and Central Appalachians
GOES-East is pointing mesoscale sector 2 at a point about 55 mi SSW of Des Moines, IA — to support severe thunderstorm and tornado forecasting. That means this patch of sky gets a fresh satellite image about once a minute instead of every 5 to 10 minutes, so forecasters can watch storms develop almost in real time.
- Centre point
- 40.9°N, 94.2°W view on map
- Window
- from until
- Reason given
- severe wx ops across SD/MN/IA
Show the original message
Exactly as NWS transmitted it. Everything above is our plain-English reading of this text — if the two ever disagree, this is the authoritative version.
000 NOUS42 KWNO 102234 ADMSDM SENIOR DUTY METEOROLOGIST NWS ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE NWS CENTRAL OPERATIONS COLLEGE PARK MD 2232Z MON AUG 10 2026 MDS STATUS... GOES-W MDS Sector 1 is centered over 37.5N/111.0W until 11/1200Z in support of fire wx and thunderstorm monitoring. GOES-E MDS Sector 1 will be centered over 37.7N/82.5W from 11/0000Z to 11/1200Z in support of wx ops from the Ohio Valley and Central Appalachians. GOES-E MDS Sector 2 will be centered over 40.9N/94.2W from 11/0000Z to 11/1200Z in support of severe wx ops across SD/MN/IA. Handel/SDM/NCO