A Grand, Snow-Rimmed Canyon
A dusting of white highlighted the Colorado Plateau around the deep gorge, while shadows created a visual illusion.
Whatโs Happening
Alright so A dusting of white highlighted the Colorado Plateau around the deep gorge, while shadows created a visual illusion.
Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory A Grand, Snow-Rimmed Canyon 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 ๐ RSS Contact Us Search 3 min read A Grand, Snow-Rimmed Canyon Image of the Day for A dusting of white highlighted the Colorado Plateau around the deep gorge, while shadows created a visual illusion. NASA Earth Observatory Feb 07, 2026 Article View more Images of the Day: Feb 6, 2026 Instruments: Photograph Collections: Astronaut Photography U. (let that sink in)
National Parks Winter from the International Space Station Topics: Snow Topography A sunny day in early 2026 spilled the remnants of a winter storm on Arizonaโs high desertโand produced a striking, if somewhat puzzling, display of light and shadow in the Grand Canyon.
The Details
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured these photographs of the distinct topography on . Snow flurries were flying in the area the previous two days, as they were across much of the central and eastern U.
Hazardous conditions within Grand Canyon National Park prompted officials to close Desert View Drive , which runs along a portion of the South Rim shown in the photo above, and to issue warnings about icy trails . (The North Rim is closed to traffic in winter and early spring.
Why This Matters
) When the road reopened around the time of these photos, a layer of white remained on both the South Rim, at an elevation of around 7,000 feet (2,100 meters), and the North Rim, at about 8,000 feet (2,400 meters). Snow is typical at these high elevations in winter . The South Rim and North Rim see average season totals of 58 inches and 142 inches, respectively.
The scientific community tends to find developments like this significant.
The Bottom Line
The South Rim and North Rim see average season totals of 58 inches and 142 inches, respectively.
What do you think about all this?
Originally reported by NASA
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