MSGID: 1:317/3 6488aec7   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   June 13, 2023 - Cloud Bank over the Gran Chaco   
      
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      On June 11, 2023, a large bank of thick cloud hugged the eastern slope   
      of the Andes Mountains, blanketing the Gran Chaco of southern Bolivia,   
      western Paraguay, and northern Argentina. The Moderate Resolution   
      Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite acquired a   
      true-color image of the scene on that same day.   
      
      The winter-time cloud spanned an area of roughly 990,000 square   
      kilometers (382,240 square miles), as measured with the tools available   
      on the NASA Worldview App—an area only slightly smaller than the   
      country of Egypt. By June 12, the clouded area expanded dramatically to   
      cover more than 2,500,000 square kilometers (965,2500 square miles) of   
      South America, hugging the eastern side of the Andes Mountains in the   
      west and reaching across Argentina and Paraguay to reach the South   
      Atlantic Ocean. Once over the ocean, a band of cloud continued   
      southeast to reach Antarctica.   
      
      Wintertime in the lands east of the Andes, particularly the Gran Chaco,   
      can often bring cloud-filled skies and gusty winds. Despite the   
      impressive appearance, such clouds don’t always mean rain. Rain was not   
      reported in any of the major cities underneath the clouds on June 11 or   
      12.   
      
      The tall peaks of the Andes Mountains act as a barrier to the western   
      movement of clouds and precipitation, which is why clouds pile up over   
      the eastern slope while the sky over the higher elevations and west of   
      the Andes are clear. While the Gran Chaco is considered a hot,   
      semi-arid lowland, the southern portion of the high plateau (Altiplano)   
      visible in this image is cold and dry, especially in winter. The   
      world’s largest and highest salt flat, the Salar de Uyuni receives less   
      than 5 inches (127 mm) of rain each year, with almost all of that   
      falling between December and April.   
      
      Image Facts   
      Satellite:  Terra   
      Date Acquired: 6/11/2023   
      Resolutions:  1km (1.2 MB),  500m (3.7 MB),  250m (2.7 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=2023-06-13   
       
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