Images
July 3, 2026 - Dust in the Taklamakan Desert
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Strong summer winds kicked up a massive dust storm in China’s Taklimakan Desert in early July 2026.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the thick blanket of moving dust on July 2. At that time, the dust was so thick it obscured most of the eastern portion of the Taklimakan Desert from view. In addition, ripples could be seen across most of the plume.
The Taklimakan Desert nearly fills the Tarim Basin, which is bordered by the Tian Shan mountains to the north and the Kunlun Sham mountains to the south. The Basin has an opening on its east side and most of the prevailing low-altitude winds come from the east. These winds tend to keep most of the dust moving below the heights of the mountain ranges and confined within the Basin.
Dust storms over the Taklimakan are a common occurrence at any time of the year. However, spring and summer tend to be considered the prime seasons for dust storms in the Taklimakan.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/2/2026
Resolutions:
1km (251.7 KB), 500m (585.3 KB), 250m (813.8 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Strong summer winds kicked up a massive dust storm in China’s Taklimakan Desert in early July 2026.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the thick blanket of moving dust on July 2. At that time, the dust was so thick it obscured most of the eastern portion of the Taklimakan Desert from view. In addition, ripples could be seen across most of the plume.
The Taklimakan Desert nearly fills the Tarim Basin, which is bordered by the Tian Shan mountains to the north and the Kunlun Sham mountains to the south. The Basin has an opening on its east side and most of the prevailing low-altitude winds come from the east. These winds tend to keep most of the dust moving below the heights of the mountain ranges and confined within the Basin.
Dust storms over the Taklimakan are a common occurrence at any time of the year. However, spring and summer tend to be considered the prime seasons for dust storms in the Taklimakan.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/2/2026
Resolutions:
1km (251.7 KB), 500m (585.3 KB), 250m (813.8 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
