Strong winds pushed a plume of dust across the Mediterranean Sea in early March 2020. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite acquired true-color image of the dusty scene on March 7.

Away from the coast, where a Mediterranean climate predominates, Libya consists of dry desert. Only about 1 percent of the land is arable, and vast sand seas provide plentiful material for dust storms. It’s no surprise that dust storms are one of the greatest natural hazards that affects the country.

Image Facts

Satellite: Aqua

Date Acquired: 3/7/2020

Resolutions: , ,

Bands Used: 1,4,3

Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC