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Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumSmoke From West Coast Fires Has Already Blown To Colorado, Texas (JPG)
Since I began this blog in 2013, Ive seen a lot of satellite imagery of wildfires burning in the American West. Yet despite that experience, I have to admit that when I first saw this image, acquired by NASAs Aqua satellite today, I was blown away by just how much of California and Oregon are being smothered by thick blankets of choking wildfire smoke.
Thanks to a stubborn ridge of high pressure that has brought soaring, fire-stoking temperatures to a large portion of the West, there are very few clouds visible in the image. Those that are present are bright white in color. That leaves the thick and sprawling patches of wildfire smoke, identifiable by its grayish, bluish and tan tones.
EDIT
But the Carr Fire is just one of 73 wildfires blazing across 831,772 acres in the American West overall (not counting Alaska), according to the latest tally from the National Interagency Fire Center. Fires in California and Oregon account for some 339,985 acres of that amount. And Colorado, my home state, currently is being scorched by 10 fires across 198,716 acres more area than any other state in the country.
In the image above, captured by the GOES-16 weather satellite today, you can see smoke flowing west on prevailing winds from California and Oregon across Nevada, Utah, Colorado and all the way into Kansas. Another streak of smoke is visible across the top of the Texas Panhandle and parts of Oklahoma.
EDIT
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/imageo/2018/07/30/satellite-imagery-reveals-a-shocking-pall-of-smoke-covering-huge-portions-of-california-and-oregon/#.W2BGW8InZNg
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Smoke From West Coast Fires Has Already Blown To Colorado, Texas (JPG) (Original Post)
hatrack
Jul 2018
OP
Here in BC they're saying some of the smoke we're seeing is coming from Asia. n/t
OnlinePoker
Jul 2018
#4
Crutchez_CuiBono
(7,725 posts)1. That's an astounding set of pictures.
Lots of destruction.
secondwind
(16,903 posts)2. Has Drumpf even mentioned this situation?
You know, in between his tweeting and raging at the moon?
2naSalit
(86,056 posts)3. I'm just glad all that smoke isn;t coming here for once
all that smoke from 80-90% of all smoke plumes of western fires usually pass over Montana, even the coastal fires. You can see them arrive and layer over each other. I have photos with the tequila sunrise from nearly every year for the last thirty years. We just accept that we will all become three pack a day smokers for a couple months every year.
OnlinePoker
(5,702 posts)4. Here in BC they're saying some of the smoke we're seeing is coming from Asia. n/t