MODIS Rapid Response

Sabancaya Keeps Puffing
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Sabancaya Keeps Puffing

A NASA satellite spies the ongoing eruption.

Published May 24, 2017

Land Volcanoes Remote Sensing

Wave Clouds Over Bristol Bay
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Wave Clouds Over Bristol Bay

The wave-like appearance of clouds over Bristol Bay in southwest Alaska are the result of colliding air masses.

Published May 18, 2017

Image of the Day Atmosphere Unique Imagery Remote Sensing

Ashfall from Shiveluch
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Ashfall from Shiveluch

Shiveluch is one of the largest and most active volcanoes on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

Published May 17, 2017

Heat Land Volcanoes Snow and Ice

Activity at Shiveluch Volcano
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Activity at Shiveluch Volcano

Shiveluch is one of the largest and most active volcanoes on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

Published May 17, 2017

Atmosphere Volcanoes

Sea Ice Swirls in the Labrador Sea
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Sea Ice Swirls in the Labrador Sea

A combination of winds and currents steered sea ice into interlocking swirls.

Published May 16, 2017

Land Water Snow and Ice Sea and Lake Ice

A Dusty Day Over Western Africa
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A Dusty Day Over Western Africa

A satellite image and space station video show a dust plume stretching over the Atlantic Ocean.

Published May 14, 2017

Image of the Day Atmosphere Dust and Haze

Tropical Cyclone Donna
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Tropical Cyclone Donna

The cyclone spun southeastward across the South Pacific, threading the islands of New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

Published May 9, 2017

Atmosphere Water Severe Storms

A Spring Bloom in the Gulf of Alaska
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A Spring Bloom in the Gulf of Alaska

The tiny, plant-like organisms thrive on iron that seeps into the ocean.

Published May 7, 2017

Image of the Day Land Water Snow and Ice

Dust Sweeps Across Northern China
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Dust Sweeps Across Northern China

Visibility in Beijing plunged as dust filled the skies.

Published May 6, 2017

Image of the Day Atmosphere Dust and Haze

Flooding in the Midwest
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Flooding in the Midwest

Several tributaries of the Mississippi River face record or near-record water levels.

Published May 3, 2017

Image of the Day Land Water Floods Human Presence

West Mims Fire Surpasses 100,000 Acres
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West Mims Fire Surpasses 100,000 Acres

The fire continues to grow, with less than a tenth of it contained.

Published May 3, 2017

Heat Land Fires

Fires in the Yucatan
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Fires in the Yucatan

This dry season on the Yucatán Peninsula has proven to be a fiery one.

Published May 1, 2017

Atmosphere Land Fires

Sunglint on the Arabian Sea
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Sunglint on the Arabian Sea

It might look like something mysterious is happening in the waters off of Oman, but this dark, sinuous shape has a completely natural explanation.

Published Apr 30, 2017

Image of the Day Water

Arlene: Early and Short-lived
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Arlene: Early and Short-lived

The cyclone was one of the earliest Atlantic cyclones observed in the satellite record.

Published Apr 21, 2017

Atmosphere Severe Storms

Dust Storm Veils Sudan
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Dust Storm Veils Sudan

Once again, wind is at work over Sudan.

Published Apr 19, 2017

Atmosphere Land Dust and Haze

Cyclone Maarutha Passes Over Myanmar
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Cyclone Maarutha Passes Over Myanmar

It is the first named cyclone of 2017 in the northern hemisphere.

Published Apr 17, 2017

Atmosphere Severe Storms

Clouds ‘Roll’ Over Pacific Atolls
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Clouds ‘Roll’ Over Pacific Atolls

Parallel “roll clouds” over the Pacific Ocean were likely influenced by the development of Tropical Cyclone Cook.

Published Apr 15, 2017

Image of the Day

Fires in Southern Asia
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Fires in Southern Asia

In April 2017, smoke billowed from fires burning across South and Southeast Asia.

Published Apr 13, 2017

Atmosphere Land Fires

Spring Snow in the Appalachians
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Spring Snow in the Appalachians

In April 2017, a storm system dropped snow across the mountainous areas of West Virginia, Western Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

Published Apr 11, 2017

Unique Imagery Snow and Ice

Tropical Cyclone Cook
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Tropical Cyclone Cook

The cyclone delivered strong winds and heavy rain to Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Published Apr 10, 2017

Atmosphere Severe Storms

Dust in the American Southwest
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Dust in the American Southwest

A plume of dust stretched hundreds of kilometers from Mexico into New Mexico.

Published Apr 4, 2017

Atmosphere Dust and Haze

Flooding from Cyclone Debbie
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Flooding from Cyclone Debbie

The city of Rockhampton is bracing for major flooding.

Published Apr 4, 2017

Image of the Day Land Floods Human Presence

African Dust Aloft
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African Dust Aloft

Spring weather brought strong winds and dust storms to Africa’s west coast.

Published Mar 30, 2017

Atmosphere Dust and Haze

Russian Volcano Rumbles
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Russian Volcano Rumbles

For the first time in nearly 250 years, the Kambalny Volcano ejected ash.

Published Mar 28, 2017

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Volcanoes

Cyclone Debbie
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Cyclone Debbie

Australia’s strongest cyclone in several years approached the Queensland coast in late March 2017.

Published Mar 27, 2017

Atmosphere Water Severe Storms

Turquoise Tendrils
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Turquoise Tendrils

In March 2017, phytoplankton bloomed off the coast of Tunisia.

Published Mar 25, 2017

Image of the Day Water Water Color

Dust Above the Gobi Desert
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Dust Above the Gobi Desert

Springtime means more active dust storms in this part of China.

Published Mar 23, 2017

Atmosphere Dust and Haze

Dust Obscures the Red Sea
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Dust Obscures the Red Sea

Dust from African deserts often veils the Red Sea.

Published Mar 22, 2017

Atmosphere Dust and Haze

Gray Plume Over the Sea of Japan
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Gray Plume Over the Sea of Japan

The plume comes at a time of year when cold winter air exacerbates air pollution.

Published Mar 22, 2017

Atmosphere Dust and Haze

Snow Blankets Northeastern U.S.
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Snow Blankets Northeastern U.S.

After a late winter snowfall, clouds moved out and offered a clear view from space.

Published Mar 17, 2017

Severe Storms Snow and Ice