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July 13, 2025 - Dust over the Red Sea
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On July 10, 2025, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of a blanket of Saharan dust blowing over the Red Sea. Discrete dust plumes can be seen rising from coastal areas in Sudan, but additional dust appears to blow from a broader area across inland Sudan and Eritrea. The dust is so thick that it obscures portions of the Red Sea from view and forms ripples over the water.
According to the United Nations (UN) Environment Management Group (EMG), sand and dust storms “have become a serious global concern in recent decades due to their significant impacts on the environment, health, agriculture, livelihoods, and socio-economic well-being. While sand and dust storms are an essential element of the Earth’s natural biochemical cycles but are also caused in part by human-induced drivers including climate change, unsustainable land management, and water use, and in turn sand and dust storms contribute to climate change and air pollution.” The UN General Assembly declared July 12 as the International Day of Combatting Sand and Dust Storms.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 7/10/2025
Resolutions:
1km (635.2 KB), 500m (1.6 MB), 250m (831.9 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
On July 10, 2025, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of a blanket of Saharan dust blowing over the Red Sea. Discrete dust plumes can be seen rising from coastal areas in Sudan, but additional dust appears to blow from a broader area across inland Sudan and Eritrea. The dust is so thick that it obscures portions of the Red Sea from view and forms ripples over the water.
According to the United Nations (UN) Environment Management Group (EMG), sand and dust storms “have become a serious global concern in recent decades due to their significant impacts on the environment, health, agriculture, livelihoods, and socio-economic well-being. While sand and dust storms are an essential element of the Earth’s natural biochemical cycles but are also caused in part by human-induced drivers including climate change, unsustainable land management, and water use, and in turn sand and dust storms contribute to climate change and air pollution.” The UN General Assembly declared July 12 as the International Day of Combatting Sand and Dust Storms.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 7/10/2025
Resolutions:
1km (635.2 KB), 500m (1.6 MB), 250m (831.9 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
