
Australian Wildfire Smoke Obscures Skies Half a World Away - JumpCrisscross
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-07/australian-wildfire-smoke-obscures-skies-half-a-world-away
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dredmorbius
The Nullschool Earth Weather Visualiser is an amazing tool for exploring such
phenomena.

Here's a view showing smoke plumes from Australia having passed over Chile and
Argentina, PM25 channel:

[https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/08/0600Z/particulates/...](https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/08/0600Z/particulates/surface/level/overlay=pm2.5/winkel3=-143.60,-0.38,239/loc=-135.238,-81.696)

The CO channel shows areas of active combustion -- the NSW and Victoria fires
are abating somewhat, though Kangaroo Island is completely mental:
[https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/08/0500Z/chem/surface/...](https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/08/0500Z/chem/surface/level/overlay=cosc/orthographic=-218.46,-31.88,3000/loc=145.004,-30.806)

Contrast with January 5, when the NSW/Vic fires were near their peak (at least
so far):
[https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/05/0600Z/chem/surface/...](https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/05/0600Z/chem/surface/level/overlay=cosc/orthographic=-218.46,-31.88,3000/loc=145.004,-30.806)

Current smoke cover over Australia -- relatively recovered, though much of the
country is at the very least hazy, and Sydney / Melbourne / Canberra fairly
heavily polluted:

[https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/08/0600Z/particulates/...](https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/08/0600Z/particulates/surface/level/overlay=pm2.5/orthographic=-218.46,-31.88,3000/loc=145.004,-30.806)

Coastal temperatures have somewhat moderated:

[https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/08/0600Z/wind/surface/...](https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/08/0600Z/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic=-218.46,-31.88,3000/loc=141.288,-28.988)

What's been impressive is to note the tremendous temperature swings, with
southern Victoria seeing temps ranging from the mid-40s (Celsius) to the
single-digits, over the course of a day or so:

8.4C on January 4:
[https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/04/1800Z/wind/surface/...](https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/04/1800Z/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic=-218.46,-31.88,3000/loc=146.643,-37.251)

39C, slightly north, January 3:
[https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/03/0600Z/wind/surface/...](https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/03/0600Z/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic=-218.46,-31.88,3000/loc=146.054,-35.134)

(That same spot hit a low of 17.7 a day later:
[https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/05/1500Z/wind/surface/...](https://earth.nullschool.net/#2020/01/05/1500Z/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic=-218.46,-31.88,3000/loc=146.054,-35.134))

