NOAA's impending shutdown of the SSMIS data stream poses a risk to US hurricane forecasting. The data is crucial for understanding storm structures, especially at night. Despite the shutdown, amateur radio operators have created solutions to access the satellite's data directly. While the US authorities have ceased online distribution, data remains unencrypted for US and polar regions. Users can obtain it using specific receivers and decoding methods that reference previously available materials. Community efforts through platforms like SatDump are pivotal for maintaining access to this essential data.
The SSMIS satellite [data] is extremely important; as a forecaster, I use them constantly. The microwave satellite imagery allows us to peer under the overcast of a storm, probing the inner structure of a tropical cyclone. It's especially important at night.
The US authorities were turning off the online distribution of real time data while the satellite passes over the US stations at Wallops Island, Virginia, and Fairbanks, Alaska.
With the correct receiver - a guide to the hardware is available online - anyone in the US can pull the data directly off the satellite.
With previously online, publicly available documents, and a bit of trial and error, it is possible to decode the data.
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