• Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Showy Swirls Around Jeju Island Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search February 19, 2026 The tallest point in South Korea is not located in the Taebaek Mountains that run along the country’s eastern coast . • Rather, it is found atop a volcanic peak on Jeju Island, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the Korean Peninsula. • In winter 2026, winds blew past the island in just the right way to send clouds spinning in its wake. • The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image of swirling clouds-and colorful, turbulent water-near Jeju Island on February 19, 2026. • The island rises about 1,950 meters (6,400 feet) above the sea surface. • At its center is Hallasan , a shield volcano that last erupted in the 11th century and contains a notable network of lava tubes .

Article Summaries:

  • NASA’s Terra satellite captured vivid von Kármán vortex streets-counter‑rotating cloud spirals-around Jeju Island on Feb. 19, 2026. The island’s 1,950‑m Hallasan volcano acted as a tall, stationary obstacle, and winds of 18-54 km/h produced the characteristic staggered vortices. The image also shows turbulent sea conditions, with a large sediment plume from China’s Jiangsu coast turning the waters murky. The observation illustrates how specific wind speeds generate stable vortex patterns over isolated landforms, while stronger winds disrupt them, and highlights the seasonal mixing that fuels winter sediment plumes.
  • NASA’s Terra satellite captured a striking image of von Kármán vortex streets-counter‑rotating cloud spirals-forming around Jeju Island’s Hallasan volcano on February 19, 2026. The 1,950‑meter peak, the highest point in South Korea, acted as a tall, isolated obstacle to winds between 18 and 54 km/h, producing the characteristic staggered vortices. The same day’s image showed wispy clouds, while the previous day displayed sharper rows, illustrating how wind speed affects vortex shape. Concurrently, a sediment plume from China’s Jiangsu coast made the surrounding waters murky, a common winter phenomenon linked to seasonal currents and vertical mixing.
  • NASA’s Earth Observatory released a MODIS image from the Terra satellite showing von Kármán vortex streets-counter‑rotating cloud spirals-forming behind Jeju Island’s Hallasan volcano. The vortices appeared when winds of 18-54 km h⁻¹ passed the 1,950‑m peak, creating a “sweet spot” that allowed stable, staggered cloud patterns. The same day’s image also captured a brown sediment plume off China’s Jiangsu coast, a common winter phenomenon linked to seasonal currents and vertical mixing. The observation highlights how specific wind speeds can generate visible atmospheric vortices around isolated landmasses.
  • The tallest point in South Korea is not located in the Taebaek Mountains that run along the country’s eastern coast. Rather, it is found atop a volcanic peak on Jeju Island, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the Korean Peninsula. In winter 2026, winds blew past the island in just the right way to send clouds spinning in its wake. The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image of swirling clouds-and colorful, turbulent water-near Jeju Island on February 19, 2026. The island rises about 1,950 meters (6,400 feet) above the sea surfac

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