Together they gives us a good picture of Mars globally and seasonally. Stephanie, Dust storms are strongest during the northern winter season. Right now its early spring. By the time MGS gets into its mapping orbit summer will be starting. That is the 64,000 dollar question.
Most people believe that Mars today has no life.
So a lot of effort is being put into ways to find evidence for such an early biota. Once we do get there, the surface will be rocks and sand and dust. No vegetation, no lakes, no freeways, no nothing. Just vast expanses of rocks, canyons, volcanoes, sand dunes, dust, etc. I'm always hearing about Elysium Mons.