What is the primary function of satellites in meteorology?

Satellites play a crucial role in meteorology primarily by collecting data on weather and climate from space. They provide continuous observations of atmospheric conditions, such as cloud cover, temperature, humidity, and wind patterns over large geographic areas. This data is essential for weather forecasting, allowing meteorologists to track storms, monitor rainfall, and analyze weather patterns.

The imagery and data obtained from satellites enable the creation of detailed weather models, which can predict short-term and long-term weather changes. Furthermore, satellites assist in tracking climate changes over time by providing historical data on temperature variations, sea level rise, and changes in land use and vegetation.

While monitoring air quality and pollution, analyzing ocean currents, and predicting seismic events are important fields within earth sciences, they do not primarily fall under the purview of meteorological satellites, which focus on atmospheric phenomena and weather patterns.