Snowcone Western Greenland Ice Sheet and the Jakobshavn Glacier, July 17, 2009

Readers, these MODIS Aqua and Terra satellite photos taken yesterday, July 17, 2009, are pretty scary looking.

The moulins and meltponds have become lakes and streams.

In the images, they look sort of like blue grass on the immense ice sheet.

FOR VIEWING DETAILS, JUST CLICK ON ANY IMAGE.

So, the first image (the bottom is west) is of the western coast of Greenland, and you can see the distinctive floating tongue of the Jakobshavn Glacier. Its upstream region is really drawing back quickly -- it seems to be about two weeks ahead of last year, and it is just riddled with melt lakes and streams.

The next image is a closer view. And finally I narrowed down to the area where you can really see the streams. Two weeks ago, I don't recall seeing these. I do remember a sort of depression running between the ponds, giving them a "quilted" look. (You'll need to click on the image to see what I am referring to.)