2007 Siberian orange snow

2017-01-29T23:57:07Z

PetesGuide: changed GMT to UTC since dates referred to are on or after January 1st, 1972

The '''Siberian orange snow of 2007''' was an anomalous phenomenon that occurred in early February, 2007. Beginning on Wednesday, January 31st, 2007 an orange-tinted snow fell across an area of {{convert|1500|km2|sqmi}} in [[Omsk Oblast]], [[Siberian Federal District]], [[Russia]], approximately 1,400 miles from Moscow, as well as into the neighboring [[Oblast]]s of [[Tomsk Oblast|Tomsk]] and [[Tyumen Oblast|Tyumen]]. It was unclear what caused the orange snow. Speculation ranged from pollutants to a storm in neighboring Kazakhstan.<ref name="The Guardian: Orange snow causes concern in Siberia">{{cite web|last1=Harding|first1=Luke|title=Orange snow causes concern in Siberia|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/02/russia.pollution|publisher=The Guardian|accessdate=21 November 2016|date=2 February 2007}}</ref>

==Description==

The orange snow was malodorous, oily to the touch, and reported to contain four times the normal level of [[iron]]. Though mostly orange, some of the snow was red or yellow. It affected an area with about 27,000 residents. It was originally speculated that it was caused by [[industrial pollution]], a rocket launch or even a nuclear accident. It was later determined that the snow was non-toxic; however, people in the region were advised not to use the snow or allow animals to feed upon it.<ref name="BBC: Russia probes smelly orange snow">{{cite web|title=Russia probes smelly orange snow|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6323611.stm|publisher=BBC|accessdate=21 November 2016|date=2 February 2007}}</ref> Colored snow is uncommon in Russia but not unheard of, as there have been many cases of black,<ref name="The Telegraph: 'Putrid' orange snow falls in Siberia">{{cite web|last1=Blomfield|first1=Adrian|title='Putrid' orange snow falls in Siberia|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1541499/Putrid-orange-snow-falls-in-Siberia.html|publisher=The Telegraph|accessdate=21 November 2016|date=3 February 2007}}</ref> blue,<ref name="Zetatalk: ZetaTalk Chat Q&A for February 21, 2015">{{cite web|title=ZetaTalk Chat Q&A for February 21, 2015|url=http://www.zetatalk.com/ning/21fe2015.htm|publisher=Zetatalk|accessdate=21 November 2016|date=21 February 2015}}</ref> green and red snowfall.

==Possible causes==

This orange snow may have been caused by a heavy sandstorm in neighboring [[Kazakhstan]]. Tests on the snow revealed numerous sand and clay dust particles, which were blown into Russia in the upper stratosphere.<ref name="The Telegraph: 'Putrid' orange snow falls in Siberia" /> The speculation that the coloration was caused by a [[rocket]] launch from [[Baikonur]] in Kazakhstan<ref name="The Guardian: Orange snow causes concern in Siberia" /> was later dismissed, as the last launch before the event took place on 18 January.<ref name="Russian Space Web: Soyuz rocket missions in 2007">{{cite web|title=Soyuz rocket missions in 2007|url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz_lv_2007.html|publisher=Russian Space Web|accessdate=21 November 2016|quote=2007 Jan. 18: Russia launched its first space mission of 2007, sending a 7,290-kilogram cargo ship toward the International Space Station, ISS. The Soyuz U rocket, carrying the Progress M-59 spacecraft, lifted off from Site-1 in Baikonur Cosmodrome on January 18, 2007, at 05:12:13 Moscow Time (02:12 [[UTC]]; 09:12 p.m. EST on Jan 17)}}</ref>

Russia's environmental watchdog originally claimed that the colored snowfall was caused by industrial pollution, such as "waste from metallurgical plants."<ref name="The Telegraph: 'Putrid' orange snow falls in Siberia" /> It stated that the snow contained four times the normal quantities of acids, [[nitrate]]s, and iron. However, it would be nearly impossible to pinpoint a culprit if pollution were the cause, as there are various industries nearby, such as the city of [[Omsk]], which is a center of the [[oil industry]] in Russia.<ref name="The Telegraph: 'Putrid' orange snow falls in Siberia" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:2007 in Russia|Siberian Orange Snow, 2007]]
[[Category:2007 in Kazakhstan|Siberian Orange Snow, 2007]]
[[Category:Anomalous weather]]
[[Category:Omsk Oblast]]

Kazakhstan Encyclopedia - User contributions [en]

2007 Siberian orange snow