OT and Thermal Couplet in the Gulf of Mexico

Check out the captured images below of convection out in the Gulf of Mexico. The Overshooting Top detection (OT) algorithm (the neon green polygon) indicated very intense convection, and the IR imagery (also in neon green, but a rectangle and underneath the OT detection) showed a temperature estimated to be -82 degrees Celsius!

1115 UTC IR and Overshooting Top detection

A closer look at the 1115 UTC IR and Overshooting Top detection

 Several hours later the OT detection was still indicating intense convection. Additionally, the Thermal Couplet detection algorithm showed a small couplet just slightly east of the most intense overshoots.

1315 UTC IR, Overshooting Top detection, and Thermal Couplet detection

A closer look at the 1315 UTC IR, Overshooting Top detection, and Thermal Couplet detection

This particular case is perhaps not quite as significant to aviation forecasting, as the weather of interest is in the Gulf of Mexico, an area devoid of many flight routes. However, if convection like this was positioned near Atlanta, for example, the OT and Thermal Couplet algorithms may be of use as situational awareness tools, identifying areas of possible turbulence and lightning threats.