NASA MODIS Image of the Day: February 19, 2013 – Cloud streets off New England
While New England dug out from the Blizzard of 2013, clearing skies over the snow-laden land gave way to a beautiful pattern of cloud streets just off shore. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of the scene on February 10, 2013. Cloud streets form when cold air move over warmer waters, while a warmer air layer (a temperature inversion) sits over top of both. The streets (parallel lines of cloud) form along the direction of the wind. Newly formed streets appear well-defined and crisp. As they age, the clouds expand and the clouds form a less distinct pattern.
