July 10, 2021 - Cook Strait, New Zealand

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A patch of clear sky allowed the Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite to acquire a
dramatic view of the Cook Strait on July 8, 2021. Several banks of
clouds stretch over the South Pacific Ocean and the western coast of
New Zealand’s North Island while cloud overlies the snow atop the
rugged ridges of the mountains on South Island.

Open-celled clouds hover over the Tasman Sea.
Approximately 20 miles (32 km) long and only 14 miles (22.5 km) wide at
the narrowest point, the small Cook Strait remains a formidable body of
water. This narrow strip of sea, which separates the North and South
Islands of New Zealand, has a reputation as one of the world’s roughest
stretches of water. The two islands lie within the “Roaring Forties”, a
belt of strong winds that circle the globe at about 40 degrees south.
The gusting westerlies hit the islands and their mountainous terrain,
and are forced into to the strait, which acts something like a huge
wind tunnel. While ferries safely cross the Strait, on windy days the
three-hour trip from Wellington Harbor, North Island, and Queen
Charlotte Sound in the South Island has been described as “something
like riding a bucking bronco”-a trip not for the faint of heart.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/8/2021
Resolutions: 1km (768.6 KB), 500m (2 MB), 250m (1.6 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2021-07-10

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