Sandstorm Over Qatar

March 16, 2004

Qatar_iss008-e-16355_1000

Provided by: Earth Observatory, NASA GSFC
Summary authors & editors: Earth Observatory; Jim Foster

The impressive photograph above, showing a massive sandstorm traversing the Persian Gulf state of Qatar, was taken from the International Space Station (ISS) on February 15, 2004. This ominous looking storm was sweeping southeastern toward Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Note, the Persian Gulf is at top (north is at bottom left). An upper level low pressure system, positioned over southwestern Asia, was responsible for generating a number of low-level storms across the Middle East in mid February. The crew of the ISS captured this storm with a digital camera using a 50-mm lens.

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