Wildfire Ash Landing On Michigan Vehicles Could Help Bring Rain

If you looked at your car today and noticed it was covered in tiny specks, it’s probably not dust.

The Same Ash Dirtying Your Car Can Help Create Rain

Wildfire ash is literally falling from the sky across parts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Michigan. Drivers in places like the eastern U.P., Traverse City and Leelanau County are spotting the fine gray particles collecting on dark-colored vehicles as thick wildfire smoke continues drifting into the state from Canada and northern Minnesota.

READ MORE: Air Quality Alert Extended for Michigan

As strange as it sounds, that ash isn't just making a mess, it can actually help make rain. Every raindrop needs something microscopic to form around. Those tiny wildfire ash particles give water vapor something to cling to, allowing droplets to grow until they're heavy enough to fall as rain.

Wildfires Can Also Help Trigger Thunderstorms

The fires themselves also play a role. The intense heat from large wildfires forces air to rise, and rising air is one of the key ingredients needed for thunderstorms to develop. That's exactly what happened recently over northern Minnesota, where narrow bands of storms formed and moved across the active wildfire region.

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The good news is those developing storms could eventually help reduce some of the smoke that's been blanketing parts of the Great Lakes according to MLive.

Air Quality Remains The Biggest Concern

But until then, the smoky air remains the bigger concern. Air quality alerts continue across portions of Michigan, and health officials recommend limiting strenuous outdoor activity, especially if you have asthma, heart disease or other breathing problems.

READ MORE: Genesee County Restaurants Tweak Menus Amid Outbreak

So, if your car suddenly looks dusty today, there's a good chance it's actually wildfire ash. And believe it or not, those tiny particles could eventually help bring some much-needed rain.