UPDATE: CA Fires Seen On Infrared Satellite
At least three large fires (Juliet, Marek and Sesnon) continue to burn in Southern California. This morning, the three fires could actually be seen on the Infrared satellite imagery (see photo below).

Infrared satellite works by reading the infrared radiation emitted from earth. Normally we look at cloud top temperatures using this imagery, however since skies were clear this morning over the southwest US, the surface temperatures were being picked up by the satellite. Since the ground around the fires was cooler and the fire/smoke is very hot, it shows up on the imagery as black areas.

Over the past several days, a strong trough of low pressure has been digging down into the western United States, resulting in windy and cooler weather across the area. Today, October 11th, a cold front, associated with this strong low pressure system, moved through the area, leaving in its wake very dry and cold air. While this cold front moved through our area on the dry side, just to our east, in southern Gila, Graham and Cochise County, strong to severe thunderstorms (even some supercells) where able to form within the area of very strong dynamics ahead of this system, coupled with moisture streaming into the area from Hurricane Norbert to our south.
