Two decades of satellite data show that the most destructive U.S. fires burn in grasslands and shrublands fanned by strong winds.
Seasonal Santa Ana winds helped fuel a large fire near Ensenada, Mexico.
A rare winter storm brought frigid temperatures and heavy snow to states from Texas to North Carolina.
Published Jan 23, 2025Image of the Day Severe Storms Snow and Ice Temperature Extremes
Satellites detected unusually low numbers of crop fires in Punjab and Haryana in 2024, and scientists are trying to understand why.
Published Jan 23, 2025
The second tropical cyclone of Australia’s 2024–2025 season brought high winds and heavy rain to the Pilbara Coast.
Published Jan 21, 2025
Blue puddles of water were visible atop this East Antarctic ice shelf after periods of record melting.
Published Jan 21, 2025
This U.S. national monument, rich in geological and cultural heritage, displays Northern California’s fiery past.
Published Jan 20, 2025
The concentric rings of an ancient, extinct volcanic system stand above the island nation’s relatively flat central highlands.
Published Jan 19, 2025
A series of images captured by NASA’s TEMPO sensor show the shifting location of nitrogen dioxide as destructive fires raged and smoke plumes streamed over the region.
Published Jan 17, 2025
The fire in Los Angeles County burned through nearly 24,000 acres in one week in January 2025.
Published Jan 16, 2025
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different part of the world? What would the weather be like? What kinds of animals would you see? Which plants live there? By investigating these questions, you are learning about biomes.
Published Aug 28, 2020
What do you do when presented with a new satellite image? Here's what the Earth Observatory team does to understand the view.
Published Nov 18, 2013
A NASA airborne instrument captured images of the fire’s aftermath in and around Altadena.
Published Jan 15, 2025
Airborne aerosols can cause or prevent cloud formation and harm human health. These maps depict aerosol concentrations in the air based on how the tiny particles reflect or absorb visible and infrared light.
The perpetually restless and occasionally explosive volcano in New Zealand has been emitting steam, volcanic gases, and a bit of ash.
Published Jan 14, 2025
NASA satellites document how our world—forests, oceans, human landscapes, even the Sun—changes over months, seasons, and years.
Published Apr 29, 2009
Several plumes billowed from Los Angeles-area fires in the days after their ignition.
Published Jan 13, 2025
Patches of forest thrive on a plateau that straddles the border between North Dakota and Manitoba.
Published Jan 13, 2025
Satellite images of Earth at night have been a curiosity for the public and a tool of fundamental research for at least 25 years. They have provided a broad, beautiful picture, showing how humans have shaped the planet and lit up the darkness.
Published Apr 12, 2017
These maps depict how much hotter or cooler an ocean basin was compared to the long-term average. Temperature anomalies can indicate changes in ocean circulation or the arrival of patterns like El Niño and La Niña.
We are kicking off 2025 with much to look forward to but also much to look back on.
Published Jan 6, 2025
Hurricane season in the basin runs from June 1 to November 30.
Published Jul 1, 2024
12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.
Published Oct 13, 2005
People have developed systems to harvest and store energy from sources such as wind, sunlight, and tidal action. Many of these installations are visible from orbit.
Published May 10, 2024
These maps depict monthly total rainfall around the world. Rainfall is the primary source of fresh water for humans, plants, and animals. Rain also moves heat between the atmosphere, oceans, and land.
From ground-level ozone to particulate matter to nitrogen dioxide, an array of gasses and particles can affect the air people breathe, with implications for human health.
Published Apr 8, 2024
Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.
Published Mar 26, 2024
These maps show the average amount of water vapor in a column of atmosphere by month. Water vapor is the key precursor for rain and snow and one of the most important greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Whether sparked by lightning, intentional land-clearing, or human-caused accidents, wildland fires are burning longer and more often in some areas as the world warms.
Published Feb 27, 2024
These maps depict anomalies in land surface temperatures (LSTs); that is, how much hotter or cooler a region was compared to the long-term average. LST anomalies can indicate heat waves or cold spells.
Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.
Published Aug 15, 2023
