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May 4, 2026 - Bloom off the Mid-Atlantic
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A spring phytoplankton bloom continued to expand off the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States in early May 2026. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of the large bloom on May 1.
Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that live in these waters year-round, usually in relatively small numbers. When conditions are right, they can reproduce explosively and form massive floating colonies called “blooms” which can easily be seen from space. The colors in a bloom typically range from shades of greens and blues thanks to the pigments (chlorophyll and others) that phytoplankton carry within them.
Blooms in this region can be spurred by excess nutrients poured into the water from farming practices or other pollution sources. But phytoplankton growth in this area is frequently caused by the natural process of “upwelling” which is caused by currents rising from lower ocean levels towards the surface. This upward current carries nutrients from the ocean bottom to the surface where phytoplankton are found.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 5/1/2026
Resolutions:
1km (134.5 KB), 500m (383.8 KB), 250m (473.2 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
A spring phytoplankton bloom continued to expand off the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States in early May 2026. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of the large bloom on May 1.
Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that live in these waters year-round, usually in relatively small numbers. When conditions are right, they can reproduce explosively and form massive floating colonies called “blooms” which can easily be seen from space. The colors in a bloom typically range from shades of greens and blues thanks to the pigments (chlorophyll and others) that phytoplankton carry within them.
Blooms in this region can be spurred by excess nutrients poured into the water from farming practices or other pollution sources. But phytoplankton growth in this area is frequently caused by the natural process of “upwelling” which is caused by currents rising from lower ocean levels towards the surface. This upward current carries nutrients from the ocean bottom to the surface where phytoplankton are found.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 5/1/2026
Resolutions:
1km (134.5 KB), 500m (383.8 KB), 250m (473.2 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
