NASA Satellite Image Reveals Snow-Dusted National Parks

A new image taken from the International Space Station (ISS) has captured a beautiful dusting of snow over national parks in Wyoming and Montana.

The image, captured by an astronaut from NASA’s Expedition 72 crew, shows the Rocky Mountains across both states blanketed in snow, with the frozen surfaces of Yellowstone Lake and Jackson Lake, located in Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park, respectively, blending into the white and gray backdrop of the terrain.

The image, captured in late January, features the Wind River Range, which branches off from the Rockies to the southeast and stretches between the Wind River and Green River basins.

Areas of higher elevation, such as the mountain peaks and the Green River Basin, can be seen covered in snow. Portions of the lower elevation areas, such as the Bighorn and Wind River basins, appear in a darker shade, indicating a lack of snow.

This striking contrast highlights the rain shadow effect, where a region on the side of a mountain range is protected from the prevailing winds. In the NASA image, the mountains block the westerly winds, preventing the basins from getting as much snow as the higher regions.

“As spring approaches, the ice and snow will melt and flow into the surrounding lakes and rivers,” NASA explains, noting that “this meltwater is used for agricultural irrigation, drinking water, and recreation.”

Areas of lower elevation usually see the snow melt in the spring, with higher elevations following in the summer.

Located at the northwest corner of Wyoming and stretching into Montana and Idaho, Yellowstone was established as the world’s first national park in early 1872, according to the National Park Service (NPS).

While Yellowstone National Park’s busiest season is during the summer months of June, July, and August, visitors during the winter months can enjoy snowy landscapes and steaming geyser basins with fewer crowds.

Winter visits require advanced planning as access to the interior of Yellowstone National Park, such as the Old Faithful geyser and the Grand Canyon, is “restricted to oversnow travel and many facilities are closed,” the NPS notes.

The Teton Range is blanketed by snow during the winter at Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park and the park is a popular spot for winter sports such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Grand Teton National Park has long, cold winters, with snow and frost possible in any month.

September, October and November at Grand Teton see a mix of sunny days and cold nights, with rain and occasional snowstorms. Snow blankets the mountains and valley of the park from December to April, while the days between storms are sunny and nights are frigid, the NPS notes.

Mild days and cool nights alternate with rain and snow in April, May and June, while warm days and cool nights take hold in July and August, with afternoon thundershowers being common, the NPS says.

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