File:Dust Storm in Argentina (MODIS 2016-11-08).jpg

English: Dust plumes blew across southern Argentina and over the Atlantic Ocean in early November 2016. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image on November 3.

The dust blew out of the low plains of the Patagonian Desert, including the sediments around the shallow Lake Colhué Huapí. The greenish waters of Lake Musters can be seen just to the west of the southernmost dark tan plume. This plume is primarily arising from a darker area which is the shallow, silt-clogged Lake Colhué Huapí. The two lakes are both fed by the Senguerr River, yet are very different. Lake Musters is an excellent sport fishery, containing such species as Argentinian silverside, perch, catfish and various species of trout. Colhué Huapí, however, contains clay-colored water and is surrounded by chalky sediment which is easily blown aloft by the strong, biting winds that blow across the region.

Dust storms are a common natural hazard in this area. However, November’s dust follows a very dry year across parts of South America. According to Relief Web, neighboring Brazil is in the midst of its most severe drought in 35 years, while nearby Paraguay suffers a significant drought along the Pilcomayo River.