Scientists have finally been able to decipher the mystery of a "milk rain" pouring into a large area of the Pacific Northwest in February this year.
Revealing the mystery of "milk rain" in the Pacific Northwest
The strange rain has left long streaks like powder throughout a large area, stretching for nearly 322km in the areas of eastern Oregon and Washington state of America . Scientists and local residents try to understand the origin of this strange phenomenon.
Some scientists initially speculated that a Japanese eruption was a source of white powder that poured down in the rain. Others blame the wildfires, while some suggest a Nevada dust storm is the culprit.
All three hypotheses have been proved wrong, when a chemist with a meteorologist and two geologists from Washington University (USA) examined the chemical composition of rainwater samples and 2-month wind data analysis. The team found that the wind blew from the south, before the rain of milk poured down.
The amount of sodium in the samples of rainwater also provides another clue, referring to the related salt source in a dry lake. This led the researchers to look at Oregon's Summer Lake , which is quite shallow and often nearly dry in droughts.
A storm with winds of 96.5 km / h swept through Summer Lake on the night before the rain. This storm is believed to be strong enough to lift large amounts of dust. Further analysis was confirmed, Lake Summer was the source of the milk rain.
