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   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   September 30, 2022 - Winter in the Southern Alps   
      
      Southern Alps   
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      On September 15, 2022, the Moderate Resolution Imaging   
      Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a   
      true-color image of the northern section of New Zealand’s South Island.   
      
      The end-of-winter image showed an abundance of snow atop the rugged   
      mountains known as the Southern Alps. Perhaps the most notable feature   
      of South Island, these mountains extend about 400 miles (650 km) along   
      the western side of South Island. The mountains are often obscured by   
      clouds, which is probably why the Maoris called New Zealand "Aotearoa",   
      the long white cloud. The higher peaks are snow-covered all year round.   
      
      According to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research   
      Ltd (NIWA), winter 2022 was the warmest on record in New Zealand, with   
      temperatures more than 1.20˚C above average on North Island and about   
      0.51˚C to 1.20˚C across most of South Island. NIWA states, “Winter 2020   
      held the record prior to 2021 which means that New Zealand has now   
      experienced three consecutive record-warm winters, each warmer than the   
      year prior.” Winter 2022 was also the wettest on record since 1971,   
      when that data began to be collected from Virtual Climate Station   
      Network.   
      
      On South Island, where the Southern Alps hosts numerous popular ski   
      resorts, the record-setting warm and wet conditions impacted the   
      mountain snowpack. The first snowfall came early and heavy, dumping   
      copious snow in June—to the delight of ski resorts, which opened early.   
      By July, snow depth was above normal in several locations, including   
      the deepest snowpack since 2010 in mid-July at Mt Cook Village.   
      Unfortunately, rainy weather caused avalanches and floods in portions   
      of the Southern Alps in late July. And warm, wet weather depleted   
      snowpack in several locations by late August. In the closing days of   
      winter, a heavy September snowstorm restored a blanket of white across   
      the peaks of the Southern Alps.   
      
      Thanks to the NASA Worldview App, it's easy to compare the change in   
      snowpack across the Southern Alps from autumn to the end of winter. To   
      view a roll-over comparison of this Terra MODIS image, acquired on   
      September 15, 2022, with one acquired on March 27, 2022, simply click   
       here   
      
      Image Facts   
      Satellite:  Terra   
      Date Acquired: 9/15/2022   
      Resolutions:  1km (939.2 KB),  500m (2.3 MB),  250m (1.6 MB)   
      Bands Used: 1,4,3   
      Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC   
      
      
      
   https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2022-09-30   
       
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