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General Weather/Earth Sciences Topics => Weather Conditions Discussion => Topic started by: N7UV on September 11, 2020, 03:55:07 PM

Title: Smoke/Dust Plume and Upper Level Low over NE Pacific
Post by: N7UV on September 11, 2020, 03:55:07 PM

Over the past few days, I've been watching via Zoom.earth and Windy.com this strand of brown and attempting to figure out if it was from the fires on the US west coast or elsewhere. I'm here in PHX and there's been a consistent grey cloud/haze deck up at least 5-10k ft above ground. In the attached zoom.earth snap, there's a large upper level low circulating in the NE Pacific about 3000 km west of SFO, and it appears to be pulling this brown haze toward it. Is there anyone here who can venture an educated opinion on what this is, and where the sources of brown are?
Cheers - Jon N7UV
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Title: Re: Smoke/Dust Plume and Upper Level Low over NE Pacific
Post by: Notsorusty on September 11, 2020, 04:24:15 PM

I'm not a weather scientist but if you look at this you can see the massive extent of the wild fires currently ravaging the west coast. I would say what you are seeing is smoke.

https://weather.cod.edu/satrad/?parms=subregional-SanFran-truecolor-24-0-100-1&checked=map&colorbar=undefined

If you play the animation you can see the plumes of smoke.

Title: Re: Smoke/Dust Plume and Upper Level Low over NE Pacific
Post by: CW2274 on September 11, 2020, 04:59:02 PM

Quote from: N7UV on September 11, 2020, 03:55:07 PM

I'm here in PHX and there's been a consistent grey cloud/haze deck up at least 5-10k ft above ground.

I'm in TUS and yes, it's smoke from the west covering practically the whole state...and it's getting really old. At least here it's aloft so we don't really get the full pleasure of breathing it in.

Title: Re: Smoke/Dust Plume and Upper Level Low over NE Pacific
Post by: galfert on September 11, 2020, 05:48:27 PM

On the Zoom.Earth website you can enable the fires to show up on the map by clicking on the menu button an enabling "Daily Fire Spots"

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Title: Re: Smoke/Dust Plume and Upper Level Low over NE Pacific
Post by: galfert on September 11, 2020, 05:50:14 PM

Another fire map:

https://www.oregon.gov/oem/emops/Pages/RAPTOR.aspx

Title: Re: Smoke/Dust Plume and Upper Level Low over NE Pacific
Post by: N7UV on September 11, 2020, 11:20:15 PM

Thanks all for the insight. It seems to me that the two lows (NE Pacific, and the dying one over WY) are pulling the smoke in different directions. Is that a reasonable interpretation?

Welcome to CW2274 - neighbors, nearly! Yep, glad the smoke is higher in the atmosphere here. Sorry for CA (my birth home).

Cheers - Jon N7UV

Title: Re: Smoke/Dust Plume and Upper Level Low over NE Pacific
Post by: CW2274 on September 12, 2020, 12:04:00 AM

Quote from: N7UV on September 11, 2020, 11:20:15 PM

It seems to me that the two lows (NE Pacific, and the dying one over WY) are pulling the smoke in different directions. Is that a reasonable interpretation?

I see a broad trough over the entire western US, that big, deep low off the coast, and ridging to our south. Looks to me the upper flow won't be changing and smoke leaving anytime soon. If it starts to mix down, could really get bad. Hopefully not.

https://weather.cod.edu/satrad/?parms=global-northamerica-09-24-1-100-1&checked=map&colorbar=undefined