Two interesting satellite pics from 7/26/06

[David Wolfson]

The darker area just north of the Gulf of California is the Pinacate volcanic zone. Note the visible stream of cloud coming from this area. The loop showed the cloud streaming NNE in the low level flow as the other cloud layers were generally streaming toward the SW around a weak low in western NM. Interestingly, this phenomenon has been clearly visible today also until the last hour or so. As these mountains aren't very high I can't think of another explanation than volcanic venting.

This photo of the west coast shows quite remarkable contrails or ship trails.

 

[JP Santiago]

Pinacate hasn't been active for at least centuries and reports of twentieth-century volcanic activity (the last being in the 1930s) have been unreliable at best.

 

[David Wolfson]

I know. That's what makes it interesting! It sure looks like it's steaming a bit and showing up in the rather high dp air down there. It isn't just on one frame, but shows up very clearly in loops.