The Green Skies of Moscow

Sky above Moscow turns anomalously green for two weeks

28.04.2012

The sky above Moscow turned green on Thursday, April 26^th. The bizarre phenomenon raised serious concerns among the people. Many started saying that it was a consequence of an explosion. News agencies said that the residents of several towns in the Moscow region were reporting a possible discharge of dangerous substances in the atmosphere. Some people said that there was a layer of strange-looking dust on their windows.

An official representing the Moscow EMERCOM told RIA Novosti that many Muscovites were calling the department complaining of the clouds of greenish smog.

"We tried to calm the people down. It was only pollen from blossoming trees," an official said.

"Now is the time when birch trees are in blossom. The trees started blooming last night. They produced too much pollen, and all cars, let alone roads and everything else, were covered with a thick layer of yellow pollen," Vladimir Murashov, a senior specialist with the Laboratory for Biology of Plants, a professor with the department for biology of the Moscow State University said.

The birch tree pollen, the scientist added, may stay in the air for a long time. The wind may take the pollen 10,000 meters up in the sky.  

The blooming period will continue for about two weeks. The birch tree pollen is light, so it may stay in the air for a month or so. If it rains then the pollen will partially disappear, of course, but since it is very light then it can stay in the air for a very long time," the scientist said.

The specialist added that birch tree pollen was a very strong allergen, so anyone who is allergic must take adequate measures to protect themselves.

The website of the Moscow EMERCOM said that the abrupt rise in temperatures in the Moscow region led to massive blooming of trees. As a result, one may observe layers of yellow-greenish dust on the roads, windows and cars.

In the meantime, the green color of the sky above Moscow generated many rumors. Some people said that the sky had been colored green because of an explosion that supposedly ripped through a chemical factory in the Moscow region.