December 24, 2021 - Cloud Streets over the Sea of Japan
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Frigid temperatures and strong winds swept across eastern Russia on
December 22, 2021, dropping air temperatures as low as -2˚F (-18.9˚C).
As the cold air blew across the Sea of Japan, a spectacular array of
clouds formed across the relatively warm waters. NASA’s Terra satellite
passed over the region on that same day, allowing the Moderate
Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to capture a stunning
true-color image of the scene.
The long bands of cloud stretch from just off the shore of Russia’s
Primorsky Krai to reach Honshu and Hokkaido, two of the largest islands
of Japan—a distance exceeding 400 miles (644 km). These bands of
cumulus clouds, which orient themselves almost parallel to the
low-level wind direction are known as “cloud streets”.
Cloud streets typically form when cold air blows over warmer water. To
transport the heat away from the sea surface, columns of heated air
called thermals naturally rise through the atmosphere. The air masses
rise until they hit a warmer air layer (temperature inversion), which
acts like a lid. The rising thermals then roll over and loop back on
themselves, creating parallel cylinders of rotating air. On the upper
edge of these cylinders of air, clouds form. Along the downward side
(descending air), skies are clear.
Image Facts
Satellite: Terra
Date Acquired: 12/22/2021
Resolutions: 1km (492.1 KB), 500m (1.6 MB), 250m (4.6 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=2021-12-24
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