May 10, 2023 - Dust in Turkmenistan and Afghanistan

Dust in Turkmenistan and Afghanistan
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On May 9, 2023, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
(MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of a
spring dust storm streaming across Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

The dust storm begins in arid Afghanistan west of the snow-capped Hindu
Kush mountains, blows westward and then curls slightly northwestward
over the sand-filled Mary region of Turkmenistan, where additional dust
likely is swept into the storm. The path of the dust roughly parallels
the Amu Darya River, which shows green along its banks.

This region of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan is extremely arid and rich
in fine sand, especially in the dune fields south of the Amu Darya
River. In springtime, a short growing season spurs a burst of green,
thanks to the short season when rain appears and encourages growth of
desert sedges, grasses, shrubs, and groves of wild pistachio trees.
Much of the 200 to 240 millimeters (8 to 9 inches) of rain the area
receives each year falls between February and May; a prolonged period
of dry weather typically sets in by June.

Dust storms are a frequent natural hazard in both countries and can
occur at any time of the year. They are especially frequent in spring,
when cold air masses moving from the north often clash with intrusions
of warm tropical air from the south, creating unsettled weather
patterns which can produce strong, gusty winds. These winds easily lift
the loose, widespread sand into the air to create sudden dust storms.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 5/9/2023
Resolutions: 1km (1.3 MB), 500m (3.6 MB), 250m (6.4 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=2023-05-10

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