Why does it get brighter after it rains?

From elbandmonkey:

subject: From Weather.gov

comments: We are two completely dumbfucks in college and we don’t know why it is goddamn bright after it rains? My theory is that the rain washes out all airborne particles but his theory is that because the air is wet, it’s bright. We have a bet going. If I lose, I have to pay for his next lap dance. That dumbass…thank you. Please respond. Please.

Sincerely yours,
Daniel

From: Ron —– [mailto:w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 4:49 PM
To: Daniel —
Subject: Re: From Weather.gov

Fine particles (between 0.1-2.5µm) may remain in the atmosphere indefinitely. Fine particles are capable of scattering light, causing a reduction in visibility.

Particles are generally removed from the atmosphere by rain or when they come into contact with surfaces. Some particles may have other pollutants attached to them, which may react with those surfaces.

Windblown dusts, pollens from plants and sea salts are natural sources of particles in the atmosphere. Bushfires, agricultural and forest hazard-reduction burning release smoke particles into the air.

Combustion processes using coal and other fossil fuels, such as power generation, industrial operations and motor vehicle fuels, emit most of the particulate matter in urban areas. Other noticeable sources of particles include agricultural burning practices (e.g. burning of sugar cane prior to harvesting) and emissions from domestic solid fuel heaters and woodstoves

The rain scrubs the particulates out of the lower layers of the atmosphere –

Ron Jones
Web Manager / Internet Projects
NOAA’s National Weather Service
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Silver Spring, MD

Daniel — wrote:
Thank you for your prompt response. I apologize for our vulgar language. We didn’t expect you to actually read this. We also were not intoxicated. I sincerely hope that you took this as a joke and had some fun with it.

Daniel

From: Ron —– [mailto:w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 8:08 PM
To: Daniel —
Subject: Re: From Weather.gov

Oh yes, we certainly had some fun with it!

Unlike many web sites, all the emails sent to us are actually read by humans – and it’s refreshing to get something other than the “can you name a hurricane after me?” or ‘I have a school project due tomorrow, tell me everything I should write about weather”!

You posed an interesting question – one that made me think my first response was rain cleaned the air) – but I had to locate a valid scientific explanation of why – so I also learned from it!

Thanks for the ’email of the week!”

Ron —–
Web Manager / Internet Projects
NOAA’s National Weather Service
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Silver Spring, MD

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