US bushfire smoke is sucked into a Pacific storm (VIDEO)
(ORDO NEWS) — There have never been such unique shots, but 2020 never ceases to amaze. And now some of the thick smoke from the historic fires raging in Oregon and California is now being sucked right into the Pacific storm.
In September, the strongest east wind phenomenon occurred, which occurred only twice in a century. Combined with extremely dry air and strong wind gusts close to a hurricane, there was an almost unprecedented fire hazard in places.
OK this seems very 2020: The offshore smoke is now getting sucked into that swirling storm out in the Pacific:
MORE: https://t.co/XFzMPeSLSU#wawx pic.twitter.com/LpibEVTAsw
— Scott Sistek (@ScottSeattleWx) September 12, 2020
As the NOAA storm forecasting center feared, the ideal conditions were set for massive wildfires, which the National Meteorological Service estimates so far have burned about 10% of all forest land along the western slopes between Eugene and the Columbia River.
Massive wildfires mean “supermassive” amounts of smoke that have turned much of Oregon and northern California into an orange haze worthy of Blade Runner’s set, without the need for additional special effects.
But an even stranger event happened – the east wind continued to blow, and instead of this smoke being carried away to the east, as is usually the case, the smoke began to be carried away to the west – into the sea.
According to NOAA estimates, the smoke spread from 1,000 to 1,300 miles offshore.
Clouds of smoke from wildfires in the western United States are billowing over the Pacific Ocean. Imagery from the joint NASA & @NOAA Suomi NPP satellite shows winds changing direction; by Sep. 10, the smoke had traveled over 1,300 miles: https://t.co/siXDCdQaPd pic.twitter.com/ND1PJq2Wvk
— NASA (@NASA) September 11, 2020
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