Weather Underground: "CA will be OK" (radioactive plumes)

[kpete]

For those of you on the west coast who will be watching the jet stream regardless of the assurances that it would take a major nuclear explosion to affect the US, this assessment from Weather Underground may set your mind at ease:
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1763

I've been performing a number of runs of HYSPLIT over past few days, and so far great majority of these runs have taken plumes of radioactivity emitted from Japan's east coast eastwards over the Pacific, with the plumes staying over water for at least 5 days. Some of the plumes move over eastern Siberia, Alaska, Canada, the U.S., and Mexico in 5 - 7 days. Such a long time spent over water will mean that the vast majority of the radioactive particles will settle out of the atmosphere or get caught up in precipitation and rained out. It is highly unlikely that any radiation capable of causing harm to people will be left in atmosphere after seven days and 2000+ miles of travel distance. Even the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster which had a far more serious release of radioactivity, was unable to spread significant contamination more than about 1000 miles.

For the truly paranoid, this environmental reporter is going to be measuring radiation in Santa Monica starting tomorrow if you want to check.
http://www.enviroreporter.com/

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/some-myths-and-facts-about-radiation.html

[Poll_Blind]

1. Can't thank you enough for that post, KPete!

But I'll try anyway- Thanks!

PB

[itsrobert]

2. I am guessing they don't plan on that radiated rain to fall on California?

?

[JuniperLea]

3. I was just going to ask...

Where would this rain fall? Seattle? Will San Francisco's fog contain particles?

Once more and again, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

[CreekDog]

10. the Pacific Ocean is big, much of the rain will fall on the ocean before making landfall

hopefully.

[Auggie]

4. Ocean life...

:cry:

[Mojorabbit]

5. I am in FL

and we get dust in the air from Africa such as this
http://alg.umbc.edu/usaq/archives/000792.html
It seems logical and not paranoia that if the winds are right California might be in peril but I am not an expert.

[kestrel91316]

6. This is what I have been hoping - that the particles are too low and will

settle out long before they get here.

I'm gonna go change my undershorts now.

[kpete]

7. best advice ive heard yet....

kestrel91316

peace, kpete92064

[Angry Dragon]

8. What will the radiation do to the sealife that the plumes cross??

Will it get into the food supply??

[JuniperLea]

9. No worries...

They are protected by all the mercury... :cry: And oil... :cry:

[Demeter]

11. Thanks for the Post

Always glad to get some hard science over the speculation...still, there's no reason to think another impossible event couldn't happen.

[slackmaster]

12. I DON'T WANT MY STATE TO TURN INTO OKLAHOMA!

My family got out of that place about 100 years ago.

[Hugabear]

13. Sure, that's what I would expect a commie terrorist group to say

lol, j/k - good news if this is true