Winter from the International Space Station

Over the years, astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory have snapped spectacular photographs of Earth’s snow and ice in both hemispheres.
China’s Celestial Mountains
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China’s Celestial Mountains

Glaciers on these heavenly mountains are a source of freshwater for farmers in Central Asia.

Published Dec 29, 2022

Image of the Day Water Snow and Ice

Great Lakes Dressed for Winter
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Great Lakes Dressed for Winter

Land and water were decorated with snow and ice when astronauts looked down on the region in February 2022.

Published Dec 30, 2022

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Water Snow and Ice

Quartet of Snowy Cascade Volcanoes
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Quartet of Snowy Cascade Volcanoes

Four of the range’s prominent volcanoes—Rainier, St. Helens, Adams, and Hood—were on full display in February 2022.

Published Dec 25, 2022

Image of the Day Land Snow and Ice

Cold and Hot Yellowstone Lake
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Cold and Hot Yellowstone Lake

Beneath a layer of snow and ice, exceptionally hot fluids rise from the floor of Yellowstone Lake.  

Published Dec 27, 2022

Image of the Day Land Water Snow and Ice

Montreal Islands
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Montreal Islands

Canada’s second-most populous city occupies the largest of hundreds of islands within the Hochelaga Archipelago.

Published Dec 24, 2022

Image of the Day Land Human Presence Snow and Ice

Icy Lake Paiku
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Icy Lake Paiku

This deep lake on the southern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau freezes over during winter, curbing the large changes in lake level observed during other seasons.

Published Dec 23, 2022

Image of the Day Land Water

Snow Day in Delmarva
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Snow Day in Delmarva

The Mid-Atlantic coast occasionally sees snow, but rain has become increasingly common over time.

Published Dec 21, 2022

Image of the Day Land Water Snow and Ice

The Spine of South Island
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The Spine of South Island

New Zealand’s Southern Alps rise high above the landscape and influence the weather around them.

Published Feb 26, 2022

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land

Winter on the Roof of the World
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Winter on the Roof of the World

With an average elevation of 4500 meters above sea level, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is one of Earth’s highest geographic features.

Published Jan 23, 2022

Image of the Day Land

Snowy Scene Surrounding the Salish Sea
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Snowy Scene Surrounding the Salish Sea

After a rainy autumn, winter weather arrived in the Pacific Northwest.

Published Jan 7, 2022

Image of the Day Land Water Severe Storms Human Presence

Winter is Long in Orenburg
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Winter is Long in Orenburg

Snow cover highlights the details of this railroad hub and city at the south end of the Ural Mountains.

Published Apr 18, 2021

Image of the Day Land Human Presence Snow and Ice

Frozen Moonrise
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Frozen Moonrise

The winter scene includes icy shorelines and frozen landscapes around Hudson Bay under thin, wrinkled clouds.

Published Dec 30, 2019

Image of the Day Snow and Ice

Grand Canyon Under Snow
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Grand Canyon Under Snow

The Grand Canyon is one of the best known natural wonders on Earth, but astronauts see very different patterns compared with the iconic ground-based views.

Published Mar 10, 2019

Image of the Day Land

Icy Moose River
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Icy Moose River

Taken near the northernmost extent of the space station’s orbit, this photograph shows ice growth in the midst of freezing season near James Bay.

Published Jan 31, 2019

Image of the Day Snow and Ice