The NOAA-20 satellite spied heavy smog over China’s capital city of Beijing on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, despite the government’s efforts to control pollution to bring clear skies for events honoring Tuesday’s 70th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party’s rule.
The government has been working to reduce emissions for this celebration by banning trucks as well as all construction within the city’s center. Additionally, mining activities have been suspended, along with the use of fireworks. Factories and industrial companies within 300 miles were also asked to voluntarily control emissions or stop production.
However, a low-pressure front appears to be blowing emissions from surrounding provinces into the capital. There, it is combining with moisture in the air, where it is now considered a moderate-to-severe pollution level. The city has thus issued its first “orange alert” of the season, which instructs some schools in the area to cancel outdoor activities.
This true-color image was captured by the VIIRS sensor onboard NOAA-20, which provides daily, high-resolution visible and infrared images of Earth's atmosphere from across the globe.