Dust Plume Blows Over Mediterranean

A dust plume stretched across the Mediterranean Sea on Feb. 23, 2011, from just west of the Nile Delta to just east of Kriti (Crete).

NASA's Terra satellite snapped a picture of the plume, which extends hundreds of kilometers across the ocean, mingling with clouds in the north.

Source points for this plume are not apparent in this image, and skies over Egypt are largely clear. This plume was likely whirled aloft by dust storms occurring over Egypt and Libya in the preceding days.

• Central Africa Experiences Dust, Smoke