Residents in Connecticut were notably concerned this week after waking up to a strange residue on their cars and a strange smell in the air following a seemingly normal rainstorm. While it’s not entirely clear what exactly caused the strange phenomenon, several potential reasons have emerged for the occurrence.
Many were nervous and curious Friday morning after they went outside to discover the weird smell and the soot-like residue on their cars, which occurred following a rainstorm Thursday night into Friday. It was speculated that the residue was a result of chemicals from a dangerous train derailment that occurred in Palestine, Ohio, earlier this month. However, meteorologists have largely debunked that as a possibility.
In a post on Facebook, NBC Connecticut Chief Meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan dispelled that theory, stating that its unlikely the residue was from that incident since the fire and chemical release from it had happened two weeks prior, chalking it up to dust from a dust storm in the Plains a few days prior.
WCVB (an ABC affiliate) meteorologist David Williams in Massachusetts seemed to agree, stating that particles and fumes from the derailment were highly unlikely at this point.
“The train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio appears to be a very centralized event,” he said. “The likelihood of those impacts being felt in Southern New England is very unlikely.”
While Hanrahan wasn’t entirely sure about the smell in the air in his post, Williams stated that it was also likely from the impacts of the dust storm in the central US, as he had personally experienced similar events in that area in the past.
“Earlier this week, there was a significant dust storm in Texas and Oklahoma. It is possible that some of that dust or dirt was lifted and transported then deposited through raindrops here. I worked in Texas and I can tell you that there can be a strange smell after dust,” he said.
Williams also noted that while many were skeptical the residue wasn’t from the derailment when impacts from wildfires in California have been felt in the past on the East Coast, there was a distinct difference between the two kinds of events, as wildfires on the West tend to be prolonged and last several days and weeks, while the most immediate effects from what happened in Ohio lasted nowhere near as long.
