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November 29, 2024 - Dust Storm in Chad
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A cloud of pale dust swept across southwestern Chad in late November 2024. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of the airborne dust on November 25. The dust blows from the northeastern edge of the Bodélé Depression and is being carried towards the southwest towards the green remnants of Lake Chad.
Winds often blow from northeast to southwest across parts of northern Africa, especially during the Northern Hemisphere winter. The Bodélé Depression, which is a rich source of sand and dust, sits just south of the Tibesti Mountains and east of the Ennedi Mountains. As wind blows from the northeast, the flow becomes squeezed in the gap between the mountains and then blows over the Bodélé Depression with force great enough to loft dust into the air. Once aloft, the dust may travel a short distance but at times it stays airborne for very long distances. Dust from the Bodélé Depression contributes to fertilization of the Amazon rainforest in South America.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 11/25/2024
Resolutions:
1km (463.9 KB), 500m (1.1 MB), 250m (1.5 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
A cloud of pale dust swept across southwestern Chad in late November 2024. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of the airborne dust on November 25. The dust blows from the northeastern edge of the Bodélé Depression and is being carried towards the southwest towards the green remnants of Lake Chad.
Winds often blow from northeast to southwest across parts of northern Africa, especially during the Northern Hemisphere winter. The Bodélé Depression, which is a rich source of sand and dust, sits just south of the Tibesti Mountains and east of the Ennedi Mountains. As wind blows from the northeast, the flow becomes squeezed in the gap between the mountains and then blows over the Bodélé Depression with force great enough to loft dust into the air. Once aloft, the dust may travel a short distance but at times it stays airborne for very long distances. Dust from the Bodélé Depression contributes to fertilization of the Amazon rainforest in South America.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 11/25/2024
Resolutions:
1km (463.9 KB), 500m (1.1 MB), 250m (1.5 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
