September 10-11, 2022
Salish Sea, Pacific Northwest
A lot of wildfires blew up recently in the Pacific Northwest after a remarkably quiet summer season for us. We had a long cool damp spring but our summer has been drier than usual — that pattern (wetter winter, drier summer) is what’s forecast with global climate change hereabouts, and we’re seeing it more often already. Assaf wrote a great diary on the Bolt Fire in the Washington Cascades that explains more about the current situation in that context (Climate-fueled Tinderbox: Huge Flash Wildfire in Seattle's Back Yard). I submit precipitation data to CoCoRaHS daily; here’s this year’s report so far. Note how wet it was earlier and how dry since July:
No wildfires in the islands where I live, but the pall of smoke blowing here from fires in the Cascades, eastern Washington and southern BC blanketed us this weekend. Air quality was very poor. On Saturday it ranged locally from 130s-150s.
Nevertheless, I went out for my daily walkies, wearing an N95 mask. But wildlife has to breathe all that smoke 24/7. It is toxic, especially to birds (Air pollution impacts on avian species via inhalation exposure and associated outcomes).
On Saturday there was thick haze, from high altitude down to the ground. That changes the quality of the light. All the colors are wrong and spooky-looking. It darkened and got much cooler than was forecast.
Orangey vegetation was even more orangey.
On Sunday the smoky haze was only near the ground. Looking up, the sun and sky looked a lot better than Saturday, but the air still smelled bad. Purple Air data continued to show poor AQI if somewhat better than Saturday, in the 90-110s.
Some seasonal hello-goodbye wildlife observations this weekend. Birds are still migrating as they can during these smoke conditions.
Yesterday evening the wind, though light, shifted around from easterly to southwesterly. That will eventually bring in an onshore flow of clean damp ocean air. The smoke will clear, thankfully.
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THE DAILY BUCKET IS A NATURE REFUGE. WE AMICABLY DISCUSS ANIMALS, WEATHER, CLIMATE, SOIL, PLANTS, WATERS AND NOTE LIFE’S PATTERNS.
WE INVITE YOU TO NOTE WHAT YOU ARE SEEING AROUND YOU IN YOUR OWN PART OF THE WORLD, AND TO SHARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND HISTORY OF THE DAILY BUCKET FEATURE, CHECK OUT THIS RECENT DIARY: DAILY BUCKET PHENOLOGY: 11 YEARS OF RECORDING EARTH'S VITAL SIGNS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
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Cool in the PNW islands today. Still smoky hazy. Overcast. Temps in high 50s. Calm wind.
WHAT’S UP IN NATURE IN YOUR AREA TODAY?