Smoke from wildfires in Spain and Portugal has drifted over the UK, bringing hazy conditions and breaking the recent spell of very hot weather. The Met Office highlighted that this phenomenon, along with Saharan dust, is responsible for the unique atmospheric conditions observed.
Sky weather producer Kirsty McCabe explained that the haze is a result of wildfires raging across Spain and Portugal, with the smoke traveling to the UK. This has led to enhanced sunsets and sunrises, showcasing deeper reds and oranges due to light scattering processes known as Rayleigh and Mie scattering.
- Rayleigh scattering scatters shorter wavelengths of light, like blues and violets, more strongly, leaving the longer red wavelengths to dominate during sunsets and sunrises.
- Mie scattering occurs when larger particles, such as smoke, scatter all colors of light more equally, creating a hazy appearance.
The Met Office predicts that these conditions will persist for the next few days, with temperatures ranging in the mid to high twenties. Meanwhile, Southern Europe faces one of its worst wildfire seasons in 20 years, with significant damage reported across several countries.
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