Images
October 25, 2022 - Dust and Fire in Kansas and Nebraska
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Intense winds drove plumes of dust across Kansas and Nebraska on October 23, 2022. On that same day, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite captured a true-color image that showed thick tan swaths obscuring most of western Kansas from view while thinner dust extended into southern and western Nebraska.
Dust storms are not unusual in the region, especially in spring and fall when gusty winds are common, precipitation scarce, and many agricultural fields become bare during planting and post-harvest. Currently, worsening drought has made severe dust storms more likely. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of Kansas is in “extreme drought” or “exceptional drought.” According to a story published only by Kansas Public Radio on October 23, “Kansas farmers say this year’s drought is among the worst they’ve seen, impacting nearly every crop and nearly every county in the state.” The story quotes Kansas Farm Bureau Director Mark Nelson as saying, “It’s been more than 10 years since we’ve seen conditions like this. But this time, he says, it’s even more widespread.” Dust storms can remove soil nutrients and decrease agricultural productivity and the ultra-fine particles are also a threat to health if inhaled.
Drought and extensive acreage of dried autumn grass and field stubble, along with high wind, create a tinder-box condition, ripe for fast-growing wildfires. The Governor of Kansas declared a State of Disaster Emergency due to the high risk of wildland fires, as Red Flag warnings and wind advisories were in effect. That placed some firefighting assets on standby to rapidly respond to fire outbreaks. Several grassland fires were reported across Kansas on October 23, and four fires, each marked by a red “hot spot” are visible in the image. Most fires were quickly extinguished.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 10/23/2022
Resolutions:
1km (95.2 KB), 500m (323.4 KB), 250m (1 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Intense winds drove plumes of dust across Kansas and Nebraska on October 23, 2022. On that same day, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite captured a true-color image that showed thick tan swaths obscuring most of western Kansas from view while thinner dust extended into southern and western Nebraska.
Dust storms are not unusual in the region, especially in spring and fall when gusty winds are common, precipitation scarce, and many agricultural fields become bare during planting and post-harvest. Currently, worsening drought has made severe dust storms more likely. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of Kansas is in “extreme drought” or “exceptional drought.” According to a story published only by Kansas Public Radio on October 23, “Kansas farmers say this year’s drought is among the worst they’ve seen, impacting nearly every crop and nearly every county in the state.” The story quotes Kansas Farm Bureau Director Mark Nelson as saying, “It’s been more than 10 years since we’ve seen conditions like this. But this time, he says, it’s even more widespread.” Dust storms can remove soil nutrients and decrease agricultural productivity and the ultra-fine particles are also a threat to health if inhaled.
Drought and extensive acreage of dried autumn grass and field stubble, along with high wind, create a tinder-box condition, ripe for fast-growing wildfires. The Governor of Kansas declared a State of Disaster Emergency due to the high risk of wildland fires, as Red Flag warnings and wind advisories were in effect. That placed some firefighting assets on standby to rapidly respond to fire outbreaks. Several grassland fires were reported across Kansas on October 23, and four fires, each marked by a red “hot spot” are visible in the image. Most fires were quickly extinguished.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 10/23/2022
Resolutions:
1km (95.2 KB), 500m (323.4 KB), 250m (1 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
