Weather Update on Chemical Fire in Waxahachie

Larry Mowry and I have been analyzing the radar data and various pictures being sent in trying to keep a handle on where this smoke plume is and where it is heading.

At the noon hour the inversion (a layer of warmer air overtop  a layer of cool air) seemed to be about 3000ft or so off the surface. The smoke plume titled to the northwest (a SE wind at the surface) and was rising to this level (the inversion at 3000ft) and heading north.

Starting just after 1pm the inversion started to lift and the plume got higher in the sky. This was important because the winds turn to the east at about 6,000 to 7,000ft above the surface. So the plume started to turn due west as it got higher in the sky. Instead of heading toward Red Oak and Dallas, it started drifting toward Midlothian.

We were able to follow the history of the plume watching it on the radar. Around 11:15 radar could make out the smoke plume. For the first hour it drifted north, northwest. In the last hour it has headed more west and appears not as dense, the stronger east winds are spreading the particle matter better than when the smoke was moving north or lighter winds.

SOME of the soot and unknown chemicals  from the smoke will fall out as it cools and precipitate back to the ground. Some if it will continue to ride out on the winds. It is unknown at this time what the dangers are, if any, with this smoke plume. As we learned from a live phoner with Rep. Barton, the EPA has a plane that can fly through plumes and take a measure of what is in the air. Our good fortune is that plane is based here in Dallas, at the airport in Midlothian. We have no word on if that plane is up in the air taking measurements.

We are covering the event live on TV and will continue to do so until the situation is no longer a threat.