This image, captured by the Suomi NPP polar-orbiting satellite on April 19, 2018, shows the strong high pressure system that brought cloud-free skies and abnormally warm April temperatures to much of Europe over the weekend. The summerlike weather provided a rare unobstructed view of the continent, with clouds mainly confined to Ireland and eastern Europe.
A southwesterly flow pattern transporting warm air out of North Africa caused temperatures to climb more than 20 degrees (F) above normal for the time of year in many parts of Europe. Both London and Paris reached at least 82°F (27.8°C) on April 19, the warmest April day in London in nearly 70 years. In Paris, temperatures exceeded 80 degrees (27°C) on five consecutive days for the first time in April in 146 years of climate records, according to the French meteorological service. The warmth reached as far north as Scandinavia, where temperatures surpassed 70 degrees (21.1°C) in Stockholm, Sweden late last week.
This true-color satellite imagery is not a simple photograph of Earth, but rather a composite image. It was created by combining data from the three color channels on the satellite's VIIRS instrument sensitive to the red, green and blue (or RGB) wavelengths of light. In addition, data from several other channels are often also included to cancel out or correct atmospheric interference that may blur parts of the image.