Currently — May 22, 2023: Smoke cyclone

May 21, 2023

The weather, currently.

Smoke continues to pour out of northern Canada towards cities and towns across central North America.

This year's fires in Alberta have so far burned around 800,000 hectares, or about the size of the US state of Delaware. That's about seven times more than typical for this date, with this year's burn worsened by much below rainfall and scorching record temperatures warmer than what's normal for the hottest times of year in July.

According to Calgary-based weather reporter Kyle Brittain, this is "the most solid blanket of wildfire smoke I've ever seen." Tendrils of the smoke cloud have reached as far as Scotland and Scandanavia. Some of the smoke wrapped into a large cyclonic storm over the weekend which crossed from Canada into the northern United States.

Poor air quality, hazy skies, and scratchy eyes will probably last for at least the next several days or even weeks in areas downwind of the fires.

-Eric Holthaus

 Update: remarkable "smoke cyclone"/ "smokestorm" has now moved south into central U.S., crossing the Canadian border near the MT/SD border. This low pressure system has entrained a massive amount of smoke from numerous large boreal forest fires in central Canada.#MTwx #SDwx #COwx https://t.co/Z80zPIFciJ pic.twitter.com/SzMk1zzq7e— Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) May 21, 2023 

What you can do, currently.

Paid members will have a truly premium weather experience. Here's some of what we have planned:

  • Text directly with Eric, our founder, who will personally answer your weather questions and give you a customized forecast on demand.

  • Our first weather app, which will put your daily weather in the context of climate change, no matter where you are, anywhere in the world.

  • Reader-ownership — an experiment in direct democracy so that Currently can remain accountable to our most important stakeholders, you, the readers.

We have SO MANY more exciting features planned, but we can't do this without your direct support. Your paid membership makes Currently possible.