NASA MODIS Image of the Day: August 30, 2011 – Italy
The late summer lands of Italy were colored in greens and earth-toned tans on August 22, 2011 when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra satellite passed over the region and captured this true color image.
On the day this image was captured, Reuters reported that much of Italy was suffering from a heat wave, with temperatures in Rome hitting 35°C (95°F).
The August monthly average high temperature in Rome is 30.5°C (87°F). Multiple red hotspots can be seen dotting the green landscape, particularly in Calabria and Campania. These mark sites where fires burn in the region. A thick plume of gray smoke pours from one Calabrian fire, while thin tendrils of smoke can be seen drifting over the Tyrrhenian Sea. Calabria is at the very south of the Italian peninsula. Campania is on the western coast, north of Calabria. Many wildfires have occurred in Italy this summer. Most have been started accidentally by humans, often as a result of clearing land for agricultural purposes. There are also reports of land being burned by develops looking for permits for new construction.
