wildfires

3 years ago: Bay Area sky turns orange

On Sept. 9, 2020, people in the Bay Area stared up at an ominous orange sky

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Saturday marks exactly three years since intense shades of orange filled the sky over the Bay Area.

Filtered sunlight coming through smog, wildfire smoke and ash created the apocalyptic look. We were also reminded of it over the summer when New York City went through a similar experience.

"It was surreal to live through it because it seemed like the sun never came up that morning," NBC Bay Area Meteorologist Kari Hall previously said. "With all of the blinds open it was so dark at home and the orange hue made it eerie outside."

Bay Area residents woke up to an orange sky Wednesday. The sun filtered through smoke and ash everywhere and in some places, the sun never made an appearance at all. The eerie view made people stay in, damaging already-struggling Walnut Creek restaurants.Cheryl Hurd reports.

Relive that ominous day by clicking through the gallery below.

PHOTOS: Bay Area Sky Turns Orange and Yellow As Smoke Blankets Region

For another perspective, check out the video below to see how the sky looked from NBC Bay Area's network of traffic cameras spread out across the region.

So, how exactly did this happen? Hall said it all has to do with smoke pollution's impact on sunlight.

Rob Mayeda explains why the sky turned from blue to orange due to the wildfires.

"The thick plumes of smoke reflected the sun’s “shortwaves” back upward above the smoke, which makes the sky appear blue. Instead, we had only the “longwaves” of the sun’s light, which was refracted by the smoke particles in the air, making it appear red and orange all around us," she said.

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