Images
March 8, 2020 - Somalia
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The easternmost country on the continent of Africa, Somalia’s arid plateaus, plains and highlands are typically colored in a variety soft tans when seen from space. After rains fall, the landscape may be suffused with a gentle wash of green, marking the growth of vegetation. This was the case on March 5, 2020, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of Somalia.
Somalia has two seasons of rain. The short rains (Deyr) that cross the country usually occur from October to December. The long rains, known as Gu’, fall from roughly March to June and water the primary cropping season in the roughly 70 percent of the country able to be used for agriculture. While rains are welcome, especially since much of the country has suffered from long-term drought, the heavy Gu’ rains often result in damaging floods by July, when swollen Juba and Shabelle overflow their banks.
The 2019 Deyr season was favorable, bringing substantial rain to Somalia. Rains also soaked much of Ethiopia and neighboring countries, bringing a flush of green to the region. Unfortunately, the moist conditions spurred reproduction of locusts, creating large swarms that have caused damage to crops in many countries in and near the Horn of Africa.
According to ReliefWeb’s March 5, 2020 report, “Rainfall forecasts for the Gu’ 2020 period indicate a strong possibility of average to above-average precipitation in most parts of Somalia. These Gu’ rains are expected to maintain rangelands and support planting activities. However, they could enable a new wave of breeding and further spread of the locust pests. Pasture losses are expected in areas where swarms land, although rainfall in coming months is likely to partially continue offsetting the impact. Nonetheless, if the desert locusts continue to multiply, this offsetting effect will be drastically reduced. Analysis by FAO shows that the most significant food security impact will be felt by households in areas where swarms pass through and cause damage”.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 3/5/2020
Resolutions:
1km (86.2 KB), 500m (280.9 KB), 250m (631.8 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The easternmost country on the continent of Africa, Somalia’s arid plateaus, plains and highlands are typically colored in a variety soft tans when seen from space. After rains fall, the landscape may be suffused with a gentle wash of green, marking the growth of vegetation. This was the case on March 5, 2020, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of Somalia.
Somalia has two seasons of rain. The short rains (Deyr) that cross the country usually occur from October to December. The long rains, known as Gu’, fall from roughly March to June and water the primary cropping season in the roughly 70 percent of the country able to be used for agriculture. While rains are welcome, especially since much of the country has suffered from long-term drought, the heavy Gu’ rains often result in damaging floods by July, when swollen Juba and Shabelle overflow their banks.
The 2019 Deyr season was favorable, bringing substantial rain to Somalia. Rains also soaked much of Ethiopia and neighboring countries, bringing a flush of green to the region. Unfortunately, the moist conditions spurred reproduction of locusts, creating large swarms that have caused damage to crops in many countries in and near the Horn of Africa.
According to ReliefWeb’s March 5, 2020 report, “Rainfall forecasts for the Gu’ 2020 period indicate a strong possibility of average to above-average precipitation in most parts of Somalia. These Gu’ rains are expected to maintain rangelands and support planting activities. However, they could enable a new wave of breeding and further spread of the locust pests. Pasture losses are expected in areas where swarms land, although rainfall in coming months is likely to partially continue offsetting the impact. Nonetheless, if the desert locusts continue to multiply, this offsetting effect will be drastically reduced. Analysis by FAO shows that the most significant food security impact will be felt by households in areas where swarms pass through and cause damage”.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 3/5/2020
Resolutions:
1km (86.2 KB), 500m (280.9 KB), 250m (631.8 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
