Informacja z satelitów meteorologicznych w stanach zagrożeń naturalnych

The paper presents possibilities for monitoring current state of atmosphere and Earth surface, thanks to information from meteorological satellites recorded by Krakow Branch Office of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Such an information is operationally used by hydrological and meteorological forecasting offices, among other purposes for early detection of of natural hazards. Fast development of meteorological satellite data processing and interpretation technology allows for use of that information in disater analysis and monitoring. High temporal resolution of registered data (15 min) and satellite information processing and interpretation methods developed at the IMWM are of basic importance for the use of those data in emergency situations. The IMWM operationally use satellite information from: METEOSAT, NOAA and Feng Yun satellite systems. Special attention is paid to such use of the information as detection of storm initiation area and storm development monitoring, rainfall intensity and range, snow and ice covered area, vegetation state and its anomalies related to drought, fires, floods and human activity. Another important issue in the nuclear threat era is possibility to monitor directions of long-distant contamination transport (including radioactive) into mid/upper troposphere and stratosphere. Current possibilities and limitations of satellite information use were also presented.