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October 7, 2020 - Dust off Australia
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Streamers of red dust were blowing northwest over the Indian Ocean on October 4, 2020. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the dusty scene on that same day.
The red outback of Western Australia’s Pilbara region highlights this image, with the darkest area marking the rugged Hamersley Range, where Mt. Meharry, Western Australia’s tallest peak, rises to 4,098 ft (1,249 meters). The streamers of red dust appear to rise from riverbeds, which are dry after a season of stunning heat.
According to the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), this September was a record warm one for Western Australia, with both mean maximum and minimum temperatures well above average across most of the state and the highest on record measured in parts of the north. The statewide mean maximum temperature was the third-warmest on record for September while the mean minimum temperature was the warmest on record. Parts of the Pilbara had their warmest September nights for 40 years. Many days in this region hit highs of 40˚F (104˚F) through the month.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 10/4/2020
Resolutions:
1km (74.2 KB), 500m (263.4 KB), 250m (745.9 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Streamers of red dust were blowing northwest over the Indian Ocean on October 4, 2020. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the dusty scene on that same day.
The red outback of Western Australia’s Pilbara region highlights this image, with the darkest area marking the rugged Hamersley Range, where Mt. Meharry, Western Australia’s tallest peak, rises to 4,098 ft (1,249 meters). The streamers of red dust appear to rise from riverbeds, which are dry after a season of stunning heat. According to the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), this September was a record warm one for Western Australia, with both mean maximum and minimum temperatures well above average across most of the state and the highest on record measured in parts of the north. The statewide mean maximum temperature was the third-warmest on record for September while the mean minimum temperature was the warmest on record. Parts of the Pilbara had their warmest September nights for 40 years. Many days in this region hit highs of 40˚F (104˚F) through the month.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 10/4/2020
Resolutions:
1km (74.2 KB), 500m (263.4 KB), 250m (745.9 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
