December 12, 2010 - Snow in Great Britain and Ireland

Snow in Great Britain and Ireland

Snow lingered in Great Britain and Ireland on December 8, 2010. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this natural-color image the same day.

Snow extends from Northern Ireland southward past Dublin, and from Scotland southward into England. Snow cover stops short of London; the white expanses in that area are clouds. Snow and clouds present an almost uniform white to the satellite sensor, but clouds can be distinguished from the underlying snow by their billowy shapes and indistinct margins. Rugged hills and gray-toned urban areas interrupt the snow cover, especially in northern England.

The United Kingdom Met Office forecast that the cold weather would gradually loosen its grip on the region. According to The Irish Times, a slight thaw came to Dublin on the December 9 and 10, but there is more cold and wet weather to come. However, Met Eirann predicted daytime temperatures dropping near 0°C in the next few days, with a further risk of sleet and snow.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 12/8/2010
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC