ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) — Smoke from the historic wildfires that are filling the lungs of millions of people across the west with toxic chemicals has now traveled across the country and is present in our New York skies.
The skies over Elmira during Wednesday’s sunset was hazy, and the conditions resembled a thin layer of clouds. This is a solemn reminder of the fires ravaging the west coast.
The National Weather Service in Binghamton helped explain what exactly is going on. Meteorologist Joanne LaBounty said, “The smoke that has lifted high up into the atmosphere got caught into our jet streams and the pattern that we are in which is typical for us – the west to east flow. So most of the smoke is high up in the atmosphere.”
Most of the lower 48 is being influenced by the smoke from the wildfires. The exception being the south east where Hurricane Sally is currently wreaking havoc with wind and historic rainfall in some locations. This is keeping the skies smoke free. The good news for the east coast is that the smoke is high enough in the atmosphere where we aren’t inhaling any of the toxic chemicals at the surface. It is strictly just aiding some beautiful sunsets.
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