Launched on Oct. 28, 2011, the Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) ushered in a new generation of space-based weather monitoring technology as the primary data instrument on NOAA’s Suomi-NPP satellite. VIIRS has now provided more than a year’s worth of data, and its promise of improved ability to track global storm patterns, ocean color changes, surface temperatures and other natural phenomenon key to our understanding of Earth’s climate seems to have been fulfilled. This session brings together forecasters, meteorologists and other end users to discuss how they are utilizing the new VIIRS data stream and the critical role it can play in improving emergency preparedness and disaster response efforts in the future. VIIRS’ 22 visible and infrared bands support the acquisition of high-resolution imagery over a very broad 3,000 km swath for a variety of applied data products, including civilian night-time visible imaging for the first time. Learn how this groundbreaking instrument can change the way we forecast weather.