Agricultural Burning in Southern Africa Covers Region in Smoke and Haze

Angola (HDW) August 28, 2004 - In August and September, accumulated smoke and smog from seasonal agricultural burning and charcoal production in southern Africa gets “recycled” across many southern Africa countries, including Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. At that time of year, a semi-permanent area of high atmospheric pressure takes up residence over that part of the continent, and the air re-circulates in a counterclockwise spin around the high.
Air does escape from this spin-cycle at times and spreads out over the Indian Ocean to the east, or the Atlantic Ocean to the west, as it does in this image captured on August 28, 2004. At right are of parts of (top to bottom) Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola. Haze spreads out over the Atlantic, giving the clouds a dirty appearance. Contrast their color with the brightness of the cloud over Angola, at the bottom of the image to the right of center. Numerous fires that were detected have been marked in red.