"Discover stunning NASA imagery from Feb 19, 2026, showcasing Von Kármán vortex streets on Jeju Island's Hallasan volcano. This unique weather phenomenon u
On February 19, 2026, the tallest point in South Korea was visually highlighted as a volcanic peak on Jeju Island, approximately 100 kilometers south of the Korean Peninsula. In winter 2026, a unique weather phenomenon occurred, with winds creating swirling clouds near the island, as captured by NASA's Terra satellite-mounted MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer).
Jeju Island stands at approximately 1,950 meters above sea level, and at its center lies Hallasan, a shield volcano that last erupted in the 11th century. The island is notable for its extensive network of lava tubes.
The captured image shows trailing, staggered spirals, known as von Kármán vortex streets, formed when winds, between 18 and 54 kilometers per hour, blow past a tall, isolated, stationary object such as Hallasan. If winds are too weak or too strong, the vortices cannot maintain their shape.
These vortices, while exhibiting the same underlying physics, can vary in appearance. In this instance, they appear wispy, contrasting with their more sharply defined, parallel rows observed at the same location the previous day.
Additionally, near Jeju Island, the seas and atmosphere were particularly turbulent during mid-February. To the west, a large plume of sediment coming off China's Jiangsu province turned waters murky. While brown, sediment-laden water is present in the shallow nearshore area year-round, expansive winter plumes like this one are common and may be attributed to seasonal changes in currents and vertical mixing of the water column.
This NASA Earth Observatory image was processed by Michala Garrison using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. The story was written by Lindsey Doermann, and images are available for download as of February 19, 2026.
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NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Lindsey Doermann.
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