2009 Spring Dust Storms - Photographs
Satellite photograph of dust storm
A full-color image captured from the Aqua MODIS Satellite at approximately 2 pm MST on April 15, 2009. The image shows significant red coloring of low-level clouds by an active dust storm emanating from areas north of Interstate 40 in northern Arizona. The tinted clouds reach far north of Interstate 70 in southern Utah. This event is the third such event during the spring of 2009 captured by satellite sensors; in each instance, significant source plumes have been detected emanating from the northeast corner Arizona.
(April 15, 2009) (Rian Bogle, USGS)
Satellite photograph of dust storm
A full-color image captured from the Aqua MODIS Satellite at approximately 10 am MST on April 15, 2009. Dust plumes emanating from the northeast corner of Arizona just north of the Little Colorado River and Interstate 40 are clearly visible in the lower left-hand side of the image. Significant airborne dust is visible well into southern Utah.
(April 15, 2009) (Rian Bogle, USGS)
Weather map
Daily weather map from the morning of Wednesday, April 15, 2009. The line of blue triangles show a strong cold front moving into the region, a phenomenon that is typically preceded by strong southwest winds.
(April 15, 2009) (Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Wind flow map
Maps of wind flow at approximately 5,000 feet for Wednesday Morning, April 15, 2009. Green arrows point in the direction wind is going, and barbs show wind speed, such that a half barb = 5 knots (about 5.8 mph), and a whole barb is shown for each 10 knots (about 11.5 mph). High winds in the Four Corners region began late morning of April 14, 2009, and were sustained until late afternoon of the following day.
(April 15, 2009) (Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
U.S. Geological Survey photo of a dust storm along Indian Creek, near Canyonlands National Park, on March 22, 2009
Large dust storms also have occurred elsewhere in Utah during this windy spring season. In early March, dust emitted from the north end of the Milford Flat Fire (a wildfire that occurred in west-central Utah in July 2007) engulfed the town of Fillmore, Utah, and extended 100 miles downwind affecting air quality in urban areas along the densely populated Wasatch Front. Pictures of the dust storm appear in the attached. Since 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Land Management have been collaborating to investigate causal factors contributing to high rates of wind erosion and dust emission from the burned area.
(Credit: Mark Miller, USGS)