Blowing dust from Mexico across Texas and New Mexico
GOES-13 0.63 µm visible channel images
McIDAS images of GOES-13 0.63 µm visible channel data (above) revealed several plumes of blowing dust originating in northern Mexico, which then drifted northeastward across parts of Texas and New Mexico during the afternoon hours on 28 November 2010. At El Paso, Texas (located at the center of the image), winds gusted to 52 mph, and surface visibility was reduced to 2.5 miles due to blowing dust. Farther to the east, winds gusted to 64 mph at Guadalupe National Park.
A comparison of the MODIS 0.65 µm visible channel image and the corresponding 11.0 µm – 12.0 µm IR brightness temperature difference image (below) showed a signal where the airborne blowing dust was the most concentrated (yellow enhancement).
MODIS 0.65 µm visible image + MODIS 11.0-12.0 µm IR difference image
AWIPS images of MODIS 0.65 µm visible channel data and MODIS 11.0 µm IR channel data (below) showed that many of the larger plumes exhibited a slightly cooler (lighter gray) appearance on the IR image.
MODIS 0.65 µm visible image + MODIS 11.0 µm IR image