California From Space

Real-time and historical satellite imagery of California's landscapes, climate, and environmental changes — powered by NASA Worldview.

Live imagery updated daily — MODIS & VIIRS sensors — Terra & Aqua satellites

Featured map — California true color

California From Above — True Color

MODIS Terra · True Color · Full State View · January 8, 2023

True Color MODIS Full State

What you're seeing

A true-color image of California captured by NASA's MODIS Terra satellite on January 8, 2023 — one of the clearest full-state views on record, showing fresh Sierra snow and the Pacific coastline in sharp detail.

Why this date

January 2023 brought an exceptional storm cycle that blanketed the Sierra Nevada in snow after years of drought. This image captured California at a rare, visually dramatic moment.

How to explore

Click "Open interactive map" to launch NASA Worldview with this exact view. From there you can zoom into any region, change the date, or add data layers like fire, smoke, or vegetation health.

Explore by layer

Wildfires & SmokeFire

Active Fire Detection

VIIRS 375m hotspot detection showing active fire locations and burn scars across California in near real-time.

Updated dailyOpen in Worldview →

Air QualityAerosol

Smoke & Aerosol Optical Depth

Track wildfire smoke plumes and particulate matter moving across California — see what's in the air before you breathe it.

Updated dailyOpen in Worldview →

Land & DroughtVegetation

Vegetation Health Index

NDVI imagery shows the health and density of California's vegetation — a direct visual indicator of drought stress and recovery.