Smoke plume leads to a stunning Friday sunset on the Gulf Coast
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Gulf Coast residents were treated Friday evening to an unusual sunset made possible by a fire in Mississippi.
At around 2 p.m. Friday, a controlled — or prescribed — burn was initiated in southern Jones County Mississippi about 15 miles southwest of Laurel.
Controlled burns by state forest agencies are common this time of the year. Occasionally, they can impact local air quality.
As the smoke moved over Southeast Mississippi and lower Alabama, the view of the sun became somewhat obstructed. The sunlight passing through the smoke created a vivid sunset. The skies glowed orange and red and the sun looked like a perfect circle as it slipped below the horizon.
The Gulf Coast is no stranger to stunning sunsets. Cloud cover, precipitation, and particulate matter in the air can lead to rare colors in the sky.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
