May 5, 2016 - Dust storms off Libya

Dust storms off Libya

Strong winds blowing across Libya in late April 2016 picked up massive amounts of dust and sand and carried them across the Mediterranean Sea. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) captured this true-color image on April 29.

The dust storm is being carried on southerly winds, causing the dust to blow north across Libya. The Libya Observer posted photos of a large dust storm affecting the Jufra region in central Libya, located south of this image, on April 28. Dust storms are Libya's major natural hazard , especially in spring and fall when southerly or southeasterly winds are most common.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 4/29/2016
Resolutions: 1km (56.1 KB), 500m (186.9 KB), 250m (455.8 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC