"Real-time" is the key. As far as we know, there isn't another real-time global data product that is this high resolution. And while we actually use MODIS data

"Real-time" is the key. As far as we know, there isn't another real-time global data product that is this high resolution. And while we actually use MODIS data as an input to our temperature correction model, it is, as you mentioned, land surface temperature, whereas our map represents near-surface air temperature (i.e., what you'd get in a normal weather report).