# RAMMB SLIDER

## URL

<https://rammb-slider.cira.colostate.edu/>

## Description

RAMMB/CIRA SLIDER is a tool for viewing images from weather satellites around the planet in real-time. While these weather satellites are low resolution (the highest resolution satellites have only a 500 meter resolution), the data is updated as fast as every 5 minutes. Additionally, the satellites capture [multispectral imagery](https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2025/01/10/satellite-imagery-bands-guide/) that can highlight fires, vegetation, and atmospheric properties like moisture and types of cloud cover.

These images are useful for monitoring large scale events, typically weather events such as wildfires, hurricanes and dust storms. By default, the tool animates a number of images, which is often useful for showing developing weather patterns. The parameters of this animation (length of time and number of frames) can be adjusted. The tool can display a number of different "data products." The default "GeoColor CIRA" option is useful for simulating a color view of the planet, but other options like "Fire Temperature CIRA" can be useful for visualizing particular phenomenon. Images and GIFs can be exported from the tool with the built in Download feature.

## Cost

* [x] Free
* [ ] Partially Free
* [ ] Paid

## Level of difficulty

<table><thead><tr><th data-type="rating" data-max="5"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>3</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Requirements

No sign in is necessary. The tool is free to use.

## Limitations

The weather satellites are low resolution and only suitable for viewing large-scale events like wildfires, hurricanes, dust storms, and other weather patterns.

The tool can be slow to load and somewhat buggy. If it appears to not load images after changing the visualization settings or zooming in, refresh the page. It will retain all settings and load more reliably.

## Ethical Considerations

\-

## Guides and articles

[Seeing More With Satellite Imagery Using Band Combinations, Ratios and Indices](https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2025/01/10/satellite-imagery-bands-guide/)

## Tool provider

Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Branch (part of the United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University.

## Similar tools

NOAA's [radar page](https://radar.weather.gov/) provides a map of current precipitation using ground based doppler radar.

## Advertising Trackers

* [ ] This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
* [x] This tool uses tracking cookies (Google Analytics). Use with caution.
* [ ] This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

| Page maintainer                                   |
| ------------------------------------------------- |
| Author: Logan Williams, Reviewed: Sophie Tedling: |
|                                                   |


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