Milky sky over Baden-Württemberg: smoke from Canada seduces!

Milky sky over Baden-Württemberg: smoke from Canada seduces!

These days, a milky-gray sky over Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg is causing a stir. Despite summer temperatures, the view of the sun is often clouded. But what's behind it? The German Weather Service (DWD) reports that the clouding of visibility is not caused by Saharan dust, as initially suspected, but rather is due to devastating forest fires in Canada. These have released large amounts of soot particles into the atmosphere, which blow across the Atlantic to Europe.

The column of smoke from the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba has reached Germany since Whit Monday and is causing an astonishing natural spectacle: the air saturated with soot results in the formation of thin cirrus clouds, which significantly restrict visibility in many places. These clouds form when the soot particles attract moisture at high altitudes, resulting in a milky appearance. In recent years, such weather phenomena caused by forest fires have become common in North America.

The path of smoke

The smoke travels to great heights and recently reached Switzerland. As MeteoSwiss reports, increased fine dust levels were measured there. The visibility is particularly noticeable in the higher air layers, so that the air quality on the ground is only slightly affected. Nevertheless, this transport leads to cloudy days that are accompanied by red-orange sunsets that can certainly impress with their splendor of color.

Satellite measurements as part of the Copernicus earth observation program make it possible to track the transport of smoke across European countries. The DWD predicts that cloudy skies will continue until Friday, June 13, before air arrives from the southern Atlantic and may provide clearer visibility. But there is also reason for concern: Sahara dust could soon be expected again, causing similar cloudiness.

Consequences for the environment

An interesting observation is that climate change contributes to the frequency of such weather patterns. As southwest weather conditions increase, both smoke particles from North America and Saharan dust from the Sahara may occur more frequently. This is a rather alarming development, as forest fires as a cause of such visibility impairments have so far been a rarity and raise questions about how the weather will change in the coming years.

However, observers who look at the sky after the extreme weather conditions can see a positive side: colorful sunrises and sunsets are a fascinating sight that emerged despite the dreary weather. Such natural spectacles remind us how dynamic our weather and environment are.

For residents in Bavaria and the surrounding area, we can only hope that the sky will soon clear again so that people can enjoy unclouded days again. In the meantime, the spectacle in the sky remains unique, providing a glimpse into the far-reaching impact that natural phenomena can have on our weather.

For more information on the wildfires in Canada and their impact on Europe, visit ka-news.de, 20min.ch and spiegel.de.