Remember that curious, milky rain that left residue on our vehicles back in February? Scientists at Washington State University think they have solved what CNN called a “good old-fashioned weather mystery (as opposed to those new-fangled weather mysteries).
During the early-morning hours of Feb. 6, residents throughout the Pacific Northwest awoke to find a grainy residue on their vehicles. Some speculated it may be volcanic ash. But WSU scientists have ruled that theory out.
After reviewing meteorological data – along with test results from samples taken of the whitish substance – a multidisciplinary group of scientists at WSU believe the source of the mysterious rain was a shallow saline lake in southcentral Oregon. The test sample’s high sodium content, combined with an analysis of global and regional wind patterns during that time period, point to a severe dust storm that whipped up sand and soil at Oregon’s remote Summer Lake. The light-colored particles were carried north by strong southerly winds and then dragged down by a rainstorm over parts of Washington, Oregon and Idaho, the scientists conclude.
Read the complete story on the WSU website.
