Friday, July 9, 2010

rain, no wind

Odd weather today.

Yesterday was not the very hottest day this week (most places round here it was in the low 90's) but the air was very, very still and thick with pollutants. Visibility was limited, and distant hills disappeared behind a gray veil. This may be a rural area, but its a rural area with extremely heavy truck traffic (i.e., coal trucks) belching out lots of exhaust.

We were looking forward to the rain, to cool things off and freshen the air. Instead while the rain came cooled things a bit, there is no wind, not even a slight breeze. The moisture has mixed with the pollution and created an even thicker miasma to cloak the mountains. The other side of the holler, only a few hundred feet away is obscured by the veil of light rain and smog. This must be what the 19th century London fogs were like - that mixture of damp and industrial pollution.

Perhaps we will still get some thunderstorms and wind to push some of this stale air out before the warmth comes back tomorrow.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

We are due to have rain tomorrow after a week of hot and humid days. I hope it doesn't turn out like yours, but I know it could.

You know what I was noticing today about blog photos from the far west? Clear skies almost all the time. I know the northeast is at the end of the jet stream, so we get pollution from everywhere. But is sounds like your air is not much better.

Maggie May said...

Feels a bit like that here at the moment but we are not as hot as you. Seems like the lull before the storm.
Maggie X

Nuts in May

Geraldine said...

Waiting for the rain here too. It's too hot for me!!! Lovely scene Sue.