Images
July 19, 2025 - Smoke Drifts over Lake Erie
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Smoke drifting southward from multiple large wildfires burning in Canada colored the skies over Lake Erie in mid-July 2025. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) acquired this true-color image of a broad plume of gray smoke covering the blue waters of the lake on July 15. The same plume crossed the city of Detroit, Michigan at the northwestern corner of Lake Erie while a band of smoke mixed with cloud stretched across Ohio and Pennsylvania, in the south.
On July 14, the day before this image was captured, wildfire smoke triggered air quality alerts across the region. Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) urged residents to limit outdoor activities due to elevated fine particulate levels. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner also issued an Air Quality Health Advisory on the same day. This alert covered Eastern Lake Ontario, Central New York, and Western New York regions due to fine particulate matter due to the impact of smoke. On July 15, Central Ohio issued an Air Quality Alert while the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection declared a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day in parts of that state.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/15/2025
Resolutions:
1km (297.1 KB), 500m (825 KB), 250m (1.9 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Smoke drifting southward from multiple large wildfires burning in Canada colored the skies over Lake Erie in mid-July 2025. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) acquired this true-color image of a broad plume of gray smoke covering the blue waters of the lake on July 15. The same plume crossed the city of Detroit, Michigan at the northwestern corner of Lake Erie while a band of smoke mixed with cloud stretched across Ohio and Pennsylvania, in the south.
On July 14, the day before this image was captured, wildfire smoke triggered air quality alerts across the region. Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) urged residents to limit outdoor activities due to elevated fine particulate levels. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner also issued an Air Quality Health Advisory on the same day. This alert covered Eastern Lake Ontario, Central New York, and Western New York regions due to fine particulate matter due to the impact of smoke. On July 15, Central Ohio issued an Air Quality Alert while the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection declared a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day in parts of that state.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/15/2025
Resolutions:
1km (297.1 KB), 500m (825 KB), 250m (1.9 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
