Fog creeps over the Ganges Delta like a thief in the night, casting a shroud of white mist over the land. On January 6, 2026, NASA's Terra satellite captured an image that shows low-lying clouds blanketing the delta in a thick layer of white fog. The image was taken by MODIS, a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer sensor on board the NASA satellite.
At this time of year, dense fog is common over the Indo-Gangetic Plain, which stretches across northern India, Bangladesh, and parts of Pakistan. The meteorological departments in both countries had warned of moderate to very dense fog over the region, as a cold wave swept through the area. Radiation fog forms when ground temperatures are cool, winds are light, and moisture is abundant near the surface.
However, what's more interesting about this image is that it also shows other relatively low-level clouds extending from the land areas and over the Bay of Bengal in parallel bands. These long, rolling clouds are known as cloud streets. They form when cold air passes over warmer open water, gaining heat and moisture, which causes the air to rise and cool until it reaches a temperature inversion that acts like a lid, forcing the air to roll into long, parallel rotating cylinders.
While these cloud formations can be quite scenic from above, they pose significant hazards on the ground. Dense fog has caused major disruptions at airports, including the international airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Travel delays on roads and railways have also been reported in parts of northern, central, and eastern India.
The NASA Earth Observatory image, taken by Lauren Dauphin and using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview, offers a fascinating glimpse into the complex weather patterns that shape our planet.
At this time of year, dense fog is common over the Indo-Gangetic Plain, which stretches across northern India, Bangladesh, and parts of Pakistan. The meteorological departments in both countries had warned of moderate to very dense fog over the region, as a cold wave swept through the area. Radiation fog forms when ground temperatures are cool, winds are light, and moisture is abundant near the surface.
However, what's more interesting about this image is that it also shows other relatively low-level clouds extending from the land areas and over the Bay of Bengal in parallel bands. These long, rolling clouds are known as cloud streets. They form when cold air passes over warmer open water, gaining heat and moisture, which causes the air to rise and cool until it reaches a temperature inversion that acts like a lid, forcing the air to roll into long, parallel rotating cylinders.
While these cloud formations can be quite scenic from above, they pose significant hazards on the ground. Dense fog has caused major disruptions at airports, including the international airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Travel delays on roads and railways have also been reported in parts of northern, central, and eastern India.
The NASA Earth Observatory image, taken by Lauren Dauphin and using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview, offers a fascinating glimpse into the complex weather patterns that shape our planet.
This fog image is actually kinda cool, but I'm also worried about all those flights getting delayed at airports... and think about how hard it must be for people to commute on these roads - super frustrating! 
Meanwhile, from a science perspective, it's wild that there are cloud streets forming over the Bay of Bengal like that. I mean, who knew the Earth could create such patterns just by dealing with temperature inversions? 
It's crazy how complex weather can be...
. And those cloud streets? So cool! Like, who knew clouds could form such intricate patterns over the ocean? 
The fact that NASA can capture these images from space is just mind-blowing, right? 
I'm not too worried about the disruptions caused by the fog, though – it's a small price to pay for getting to see this beauty 
. Plus, it's good to know that scientists are keeping an eye on our planet's weather patterns 
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. Can't we just be able to share links directly from our posts without all the extra hassle?
. I mean, sure they look cool in an image, but what's the real deal here? These 'cloud streets' could be messing with air traffic and navigation systems for serious safety concerns 
. Plus, have we really considered the impact on our planet's climate with these rising temperatures and moisture levels? I don't think so 
. We should be focusing on solutions rather than just documenting weird weather patterns 
. Like, can you imagine being stuck in dense white mist with no visibility? 
And on top of that, we've got cloud streets forming all around it - like, what's up with our atmosphere?! 
. We need to stay vigilant and monitor weather patterns more closely.
- like, have you ever seen anything like these cloud formations? 
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. But you know what's even more mind-blowing? Those cloud streets! They're like giant rolling waves in the sky 
. It's crazy to think about how the air behaves when it meets warm water and cool land. Anyway, I guess it just goes to show that weather is super complex and we should be grateful for these satellites that help us understand what's going on up there 
. Like, how do you get clouds to just roll around like they're in a video game? It's crazy! But for real, it's not cool when it causes travel delays and whatnot. My aunt had to cancel her trip to India last year because of foggy skies 
. And can we talk about the Bay of Bengal? I mean, I love a good cloud formation as much as the next person, but these ones are like nothing I've ever seen before 
but i guess thats what happens when you have cold air and warm water colliding 
do u think nasa's terra satellite is just capturing cool pics or is there something more to it? 
. I can see why they warned about dense fog in both India and Bangladesh - it must be super hazardous to travel during this time 
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. It's not just the pilots that need to be worried, it's all of us who gotta navigate these roads and railways 
... I mean, they're so cool visually, but at the same time, they can be super deadly if you're not careful on the roads or in your plane 
. It's wild to think that these clouds can create such strong temperature inversions, and they're like a big lid trapping the air beneath it. And I'm wondering how much of this is due to climate change... are we just seeing more extreme weather events because of rising temps? 
. We'd stay glued to the screen, watching the fog roll in over the city... or was it a Pokémon battle?! Anyway, just like that fog, it was so mesmerizing and eerie at the same time. And now, looking at this NASA image, I'm reminded of how technology has come a long way since then 
. Who would've thought we'd have satellites taking pics of our weather in such detail? It's wild! 
! I mean, can you believe how dense it is? It's like a big blanket covering the entire delta 
. But what's really cool (and kinda scary) is those cloud streets 
- they're like giant rolling waves in the sky 
. And on the ground, people are like, "hold up, we need to slow down" 
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. I think it's time for us to get more invested in weather forecasting, don't you? 
and omg air traffic control must be working overtime with all these delays 
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i'm all about that weather nerd life right now 
and btw has anyone else noticed how some areas are getting hit harder with dense fog than others? it's like, what's going on with our planet's weather patterns? 
Fog is just getting worse over there, what's next? I mean, low-lying clouds are bad enough, but these cloud streets are like rolling thunder waiting to hit... literally. Just imagine flying into Dhaka or anywhere else in northern India with this kind of visibility. It's not just the planes that are going down, it's also travel plans ruined for thousands of people. And what about all those poor farmers stuck in the fields? Not to mention the health risks from breathing in all that fog... 