Spooky smoke rings in skies linked to fireworks
If you've been out in recent days, you might have seen some strange sights in the skies among the fireworks.
Photos shared with ABC 17 News by Kathy Zumwalt in Jefferson City displayed smoke rings on back-to-back evenings on both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. They might look a bit spooky, but this isn't an Independence Day movie come to life. Those rings are likely the result of fireworks.
Smoke rings can originate from a small explosion, like those caused by a firework, which allows the smoke to take on a ring shape as it dissipates. Warm rising air then carries that smoke upwards into the skies.
These rings have managed to hold together as quiet and calm conditions persisted in recent days. There have been little to no disturbances in the local atmosphere this week, and winds at the surface have been light.
A temperature inversion has also been present in the evening and overnight. This is the result of radiational cooling, when the air at the surface cools faster than the air just above us. A layer of warmer air, or a cap, forms above the surface, which is a sign of a very stable atmosphere.
Winds are forecast to pick up this weekend, so it might be tough to see more of those smoke rings. If you do happen to catch one, you can send those photos to our newsroom or send them in through the ABC 17 News App and the ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather App.
