A typical thundercloud is known as a cumulonimbus cloud. These clouds form when heat rises from a sun-warmed ground and the air has abundant moisture. They look like giant, sprawling anvils that stretch to the top of the sky. A pyrocumulonimbus cloud, on the other hand, is formed when heat rises from an intense fire (this can include volcanic activity, too). These look pretty much as terrifying.
Last year was a banner year for wildfires, leaving "the northern half of the US a hazy, smoky mess," according to a physicist who spoke with Motherboard. This year has been no different—already, Alaska is experiencing its worst wildfire season on record—and it’s brought pyrocumulonimbus clouds with it, too.
The first verified pyrocumulonimbus of the 2015 wildfire season was reported to have formed in early May, and scientists believed that high intensity fires later in the month "led to as many as five pyrocumulonimbus events" according to a NASA Earth Observatory post.
No comments:
Post a Comment