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Radar picks up Portland firework smoke

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Weather radar in the Pacific Northwest picked up on smoke from fireworks after midnight Tuesday. 

The National Weather Service in Portland tweeted about it at 12:50 a.m. Tuesday. 

“We can’t say we’ve noticed this on #July4th previously,” the agency wrote. 

Meteorologists noticed an area of higher reflectivity persisting over downtown and North Portland and presumed the radar was picking up the particulate matter from firework smoke. 

Based on the radar velocity, they determined it was not birds and said it wasn’t rain either. 

However, some scattered showers will impact the Willamette Valley Tuesday morning and will move north toward the Portland metro area, resulting in a few sprinkles.