Bob Kuligowski - On Monitoring Flash Flood Satellite Data: Bob Kuligowski is a meteorologist with the NOAA Center for Satellite Applications & Research. Discussed is how satellites are used to monitor potential flash flood conditions. The infrared sensors on weather satellites can detect cloud top temperatures. Usually the coldest, highest cloud tops are associated with areas of heavy rainfall. These measurements are especially critical in open ocean areas or in countries without sophisticated ground-based rain gauge & radar networks for more precise rainfall estimates, along with mountainous areas where radar measurements are obscured by the terrain. The "rainbow" & "avn" IR satellite views demonstrate this quite well with colored cloud top temperatures. You can view some of our Rainbow or AVN infrared satellites
Here. See
NOAA/STAR for flash flood & precipitation products.