On December 14, 2019, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of Morocco’s tallest mountains topped with snow.

The High Atlas Mountains run about 740 km (460 mi) diagonally across Morocco, sweeping northeast from the Atlantic Ocean to the Algerian border. Many of the massive peaks rise more than 12,000 feet (3,658 meters) with the tallest, Jbel Toubkal, reaching 13,671 feet (4,167 meters). These peaks created a formidable barrier, separating the mild Mediterranean climate to the northwest and the arid Sahara in the southeast. In the highest elevations, snow often falls as early as September and lingers until May.

Image Facts

Satellite: Aqua

Date Acquired: 12/14/2019

Resolutions: , ,

Bands Used: 1,4,3

Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC