The ‘wow factor’ has been way up there the last few days.
Have you been wowed?
That is pretty likely if you’ve caught a sunrise recently like Louis B. did Wednesday morning August 5, 2014.
Unusually brilliant oranges and reds are now appearing in Willamette Valley skies to start the day.
And they’ve been seen in our sunsets the last few evenings, too.
Wildfire smoke is riding the air flow up in the sky. It’s been coming in from northern California and southern Oregon.
This map from Weather Underground shows the smoke pattern and approximate location on Monday August 4, 2014. The black color is where smoke is the most significant.
For Oregon it appeared as a strange haze from time to time during the day and it acted like a filter on the sunlight around sunrise and sunset. That filter brings out the reds & oranges.
That pattern changes this week and most of the smoke will be pushed off to the east.
The most beautiful colors for sunrise & sunset will move east as well.
For now, anyway. But the 2014 fire season is far from over.
Roland Derksen says
Hi Bruce; I saw a brilliant sunset here too in Vancouver BC on the 1st. However, it’s good to see a change to cooler and breezier conditions lately. It would be even better if we had some rain, but I’m not expecting that for a while yet.
Bruce Sussman says
Roland…I say hold off on the rain until October. Then go big for the rainy season!
Thanks for letting me know about your hazy skies.
Bruce
Jan Young says
Bruce, we miss not only your weather reporting (excellent!), but YOU. We love you, man. Always enjoyed your thoroughness and positive attitude, which will serve you well in all future endeavors. We wish you the very best in all you do. KOIN missed out big time in not renewing your contract. You will be successful wherever you go!
Bruce Sussman says
Jan:
Thanks so much for taking time to write a nice post. I really appreciate your support and I will let you know when I land somewhere else!
Bruce