Space

Cloudy Cloak Over the Northwest

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 24/09/2026, 04:50:24 UTC.

Briefings

On September 19, 2026, NASA Earth Observatory documented a 'cloudy cloak' over the Pacific Northwest caused by marine air flowing from the Pacific. The MODIS satellite captured low-lying stratus clouds and fog extending inland to the Cascade foothills, with taller cloud formations appearing island-like on the Olympic Mountains. Marine stratus clouds formed due to temperature inversions trapping moist air near the surface. By 4:15 p.m. Pacific Time, skies had cleared over much of the region, though some coastal areas remained cloudier due to cooler temperatures. The event was observed at 10:45 a.m. Pacific Time, with smoke from North Cascades wildfires also visible.

Key points

• Low-lying stratus clouds and fog extended as far inland as the western foothills of the Cascade Range, with taller portions of the Olympic Mountains appearing island-like protruding above the cloud layer.
• Marine stratus clouds formed when moist air near the surface, trapped beneath a warmer air layer in a temperature inversion, cooled enough for its water vapor to condense.

Context and limitations

Data captured by MODIS at 10:45 a.m. Pacific Time; satellite observations limited to September 19, 2026; some marine clouds persisted into the afternoon as temperatures remained cooler than inland locations.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 24/09/2026, 05:02:46 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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