Comparison of HCMM and GOES satellite temperatures and evaluation of surface statistics

Infrared data from GOES and HCMM satellites for areas in northern central and southern Florida were compared for February 1, 1979 to examine spatial variations of surface temperatures within GOES pixels using nested HCMM pixel surface temperatures. Standard deviations of HCMM pixel temperatures associated with mean temperature of a GOES pixel temperature during this period were found to be smallest for homogeneous water surfaces (about 0.5 K), to be slightly larger for homogeneous land surfaces (about 0.1 K), and to range up as high as 3.5 K for mixed water-land surfaces.