File:Tasmania Through the Clouds (MODIS 2020-05-26).jpg

English: The clouds parted over northeastern Tasmania as NASA’s Aqua satellite passed overhead on May 22, 2020. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board Aqua acquired a true-color image of Tasmania peeking through the clouds on that same day. The island state of Tasmania lies about 124 miles (200 km) off the southeastern coast of Australia. Located between 40 and 43 degrees south latitude, Tasmania lies within the westerlies—consistent breezes, created in part by the planets rotation, that blow from the west, bringing rain and moisture from the ocean to the western portion of the island. The westerlies also influence the clouds formation and migration over the island, especially in the western portion, where rain and cloud are very frequent. The inland mountains on Tasmania serve as barrier to wind and rain and cloud, creating a “rain shadow” east of the ridges. At times, western Tasmania has experienced a year of heavy precipitation while northeastern Tasmania suffered drought, thanks in large part to the effect of the mountains.