October is a month of transition for weather patterns over the Arabian Sea. In the summer, winds blow from the sea toward land. In the winter, the winds reverse and blow over the Arabian Sea from the northeast. During October, between the summer and winter monsoons, the prevailing wind direction varies.
When the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on Suomi NPP satellite acquired this image on October 26, 2016, northeasterly winds were dominant and blew several dust plumes off the coast of Iran and Pakistan. VIIRS captured additional images of dust over the Arabian Sea on October 25 and October 27.
References & Resources
- Kumar, P. et al. (2008, May) Hydrographic characterization of southeast Arabian Sea during the wane of southwest monsoon and spring intermonsoon. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 140 (1-3), 231-247.
- Pease, P. et al. (1998, July) Aerosols over the Arabian Sea: geochemistry and source areas for aeolian desert dust. Journal of Arid Environments, 39 (3), 477-396.
- NASA Earth Observatory (2006, February 22) Asian Monsoon Strengthens Over Arabian Sea.
NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response , using VIIRS data from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite. Suomi NPP is the result of a partnership between NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Defense. Caption by Adam Voiland.
