23rd September 2009 - Dust storm hits Eastern Australia

Click any image for much larger size

The occasional hazy, even dusty sky is not that unusual here, but nobody was fully prepared for the thickness and extent of dust on the morning of the 23rd September 2009. Months of drought in South Australia and western New South Wales combined with strong winds brought the outback to the greener coast. 

Dust Storm
 An eerie glow at 6.30am, almost 30 minutes after sunrise. It looked like Mars had come to my home street.
Dust storm
Dust Storm
My car covered in the dust.

Modis
Under that dust is the New South Wales  coast. For a full sized image go to
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=Australia6.2009266&altdates

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