NEW YORK, Sept 16, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Smoke from the fires ravaging the
American West Coast traveled across the continent to reach the skies over New
York on Tuesday, according to meteorological reports.
The smoke was visible in the hazy New York sky, thought it remained well
above the ground at 15,000 to 20,000 feet (4,500 to 6,000 meters), according
to the site NY Metro Weather.
Thanks to strong pressure systems, the smoke was trapped along the western
part of North America for days, making for potentially dangerous air quality
in major cities such as Portland, Oregon and Vancouver and San Francisco.
But the weather shifted on Monday, carrying the smoke east along the jet
stream. It was visible in National Weather Service (NWS) satellite photos
from Monday evening.
Both the NWS and NY Metro Weather said the smoke would not cause air
quality disruptions on the East Coast like the ones seen in California and
elsewhere in the West, and it was expected to dissipate by Wednesday.