Utah Dust Storm

Credit: NASA, Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team , Posted on: Thursday, 12 March 2009, 07:29 CDT Download full size image

Gusty winds blasted across northern Utah on Wednesday, March 4, ahead of a winter storm that was making its way east across the region. According to news reports, 90 people had to be evacuated at a Utah ski resort when a chair lift malfunctioned in the strong winds.

The winds scoured dust off the Great Salt Lake Desert and Bonneville Salt Flats and showered it down across the northern part of the state. This image of the dust storm was captured by the MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite on March 4, 2009. The dust clouds show up as pale ripples above the duller tan of the underlying desert. They are easier to see on the higher resolution images.

The distinctly different coloration between the northern and southern arms of the Great Salt Lake is the result of a rock-filled causeway built in 1953 to support a permanent railroad. The causeway has resulted in decreased circulation between the two arms and higher salinity on the northern side.

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