Entering its fifth consecutive year of drought, Utah is now considered the driest state in the U.S. This true-color image was acquired over Utah on July 23, 2003. The scene shows a dust storm (tan pixels) originating in the western part of Utah and blowing northeastward over Great Salt Lake.

A widespread pall of smoke (gray pixels) arcs from the west toward the northeast (upper right) of this scene, spanning from Nevada, across southeastern Idaho, and into Wyoming. The red polygon (upper left) shows the location of an active fire burning in southeast Idaho and producing a thick smoke plume.

Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC

Instrument: 

Aqua - MODIS