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The Falkland Islands are an internally self-governing British Overseas Territory situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 600 miles (400 km) east of Argentina. The archipelago is made up of two large islands, West Falkland and East Falkland, and more than 700 smaller islands and islets.
The climate of the Falklands is cool and moist, and conditions show little variation throughout the year. Average summer temperatures (December – March) are about 5.6°C (42°F). Temperatures reach as high as 24°C (76°F) in summer and as low as -5°C (22°F). Rainfall is comparatively low and evenly distributed throughout the year, averaging 625 millimeters (25 inches) in Stanley, the capital city. Snow is uncommon, but it can fall in any season.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a false-color image of fresh snow on East Falkland and West Falkland on August 5, 2024.
Snow appears bright electric blue in this image and sweeps across roughly half of West Falkland and East Falkland. The snow primarily blankets the higher altitudes and thus highlights the mountains of each island. Vegetated land appears green. A bounty of clouds covers the South Atlantic Ocean around and between the main islands. Because they are high, cold clouds and contain ice, their color is similar to snow but tends to be duller in appearance.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 8/5/2024
Resolutions:
1km (342.2 KB), 500m (831.8 KB), 250m (1.6 MB)
Bands Used: 7,2,1
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC