Recent weirdness in satellite imagery is due to a transition between old and new satellites.

GOES-19, the latest in NOAA and NASA’s GOES-R series, is replacing GOES-16 as the main satellite for the eastern U.S.

This upgrade improves image quality and storm tracking with faster scans and higher resolution.

The temporary glitches were caused during the repositioning phase, CBS News has reported.

GOES-19 officially takes over on April 7, 2025, offering better weather forecasting, lightning tracking, and space weather monitoring, including a new instrument to predict geomagnetic storms up to four days in advance.

Written by B.C. Begley