Why you should thank BC for Seattle’s beautiful sunsets

Seattle is a bit cooler while its neighbors to the Northwest burn.

Cliff Mass, University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences Professor, says we can thank wildfires in British Columbia for the recent drop in temperature.

“The Northwest part of Washington state had a relatively thick layer of smoke overhead. It almost seemed like an overcast day…there were no clouds, but plenty of smoke from the British Columbia fires,” Mass wrote on his weather blog.

In short, the smoke drifting over Seattle from the region’s wildfires reflect some solar heat back into the atmosphere before it can reach the Earth’s surface and warm things up.

The smoke can be blamed for more than one celestial phenomenon around the Puget Sound. With a fuller atmosphere, there is more material for sunlight to interact with as the sun drops below the horizon.

Social media was ablaze with photos through the beginning of July, showing an array of colorful sunsets.