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Blowing dust across Mongolia and China

By Scott Bachmeier •

Himawari-8 Dust RGB images [click to play animation | MP4]

Himawari-8 Dust RGB images [click to play animation | MP4]

JMA Himawari-8 Dust RGB images (created using Geo2Grid) covering the 48-hour period from 21 UTC on 04 May to 21 UTC on 06 May 2021 (above) revealed multiple plumes of blowing dust (brighter shades magenta/pink) which originated over parts of Mongolia — and were then transported southeastward and eastward across northeastern China.

Surface analyses from the Korean Meteorological Agency (below) showed an impressive pressure gradient between a midlatidude cyclone (moving southeastward from Mongolia into China) and high pressure moving southward behind it. Some of the airborne dust was entrained into the circulation of this low pressure system.

Surface analyses during the period from 21 UTC on 0 May to 21 UTC on 06 May [click to enlarge | MP4]

Surface analyses during the period from 21 UTC on 04 May to 21 UTC on 06 May [click to enlarge | MP4]

VIIRS True Color RGB mages from Suomi NPP and NOAA-20 viewed using RealEarth (below) showed the hazy arc of blowing dust along the trailing cold front (south of the cyclone in northeastern China) on 6 May.

VIIRS True Color RGB mages from Suomi NPP and NOAA-20 [click to enlarge]

VIIRS True Color RGB mages from Suomi NPP and NOAA-20 [click to enlarge]

Categories: Air quality, Himawari-8, NOAA-20, RealEarth, Red-Green-Blue (RGB) images, Suomi NPP, VIIRS