Parts of West Virginia and Maryland were blanketed by a mysterious fine white dust late Thursday evening and into early Friday morning.
West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle appears to be the hardest hit, but photos and videos are being posted from Winchester, Virginia and Hagerstown, Maryland.
🚨#breaking Multiple reports of unknown white dust / particles falling from the sky ⁰⁰📌#WestVirginia | #Maryland ⁰⁰Several people are currently reporting across West Virginia into the Maryland area (unknown white dust/film falling from the sky. Some local fires… https://t.co/k8MRFgtHXf pic.twitter.com/BBwIX5W80t
— RAWSALERTS (@rawsalerts) February 24, 2023
#breaking
“White dust” falling from the sky in Maryland and West Virginia.
Residents described it as a “good ash feeling”.
Reports from Allegany County, Maryland, WV and Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/YMwxpfU3C2— Mekal Shan (@mekalshan) February 24, 2023
Reports of “a small plane dropping a white powder so thick we couldn’t see our neighbor’s house”. in #WestVirginia #Maryland area. Multiple reports with pictures of cars coated in white dust particles. ➡️https://t.co/kzFkeRUnaO⬅️ #Chemtrails #Conspiracy #conspiracy theory pic.twitter.com/WdccLSvUJg
— modern_shaman (@m0dernshaman) February 24, 2023
Someone from a town pic.twitter.com/8Pr0HcP4VG
— Cassandra MacDonald (@CassandraRules) February 24, 2023
A Facebook page that tracks emergencies in the Panhandle, the Eastern Panhandle Working Fires, was early to post about the dust.
“Call 911!! According to the WV Department of Environmental Protection, they request that anyone experiencing these problems immediately call 911 and have their local fire department respond. They advise closing doors and windows during this time and avoiding the outdoors as a common-sense approach until it is identified,” the post on the page read.
In a later post, the page said, “EPWF is an information place. We may not agree with DEPs assessment of local FDs calling 911 to respond; it is, in fact, a requested action by the responsible governing body. We are passing that information on. If you feel the WV DEP response was inadequate or overkill, Please contact them directly.
Jefferson County, WV Homeland Security and Emergency Management posted, “Our office is following up on dust reports across WV’s Eastern Panhandle. The attached post from a meteorologist connected with a TV station in WV seems to be able to provide some knowledgeable insight into the observations. We will follow up with more information from the state as it becomes available.
He pointed to another local meteorologist, Spencer Adkins, who wrote, “Apparently ‘stuff in the air’ is a concern anywhere in the entire region after East Palestine, but satellite scientists showed a dust plume early Thursday because it was pretty clear. Think of how we see smoke from wildfires to the west in the summer.”
Dozens of people in the area posted photos and videos of dust raining from the sky despite it being warm outside.
🚨#breaking Multiple reports of unknown white dust / particles falling from the sky ⁰⁰📌#WestVirginia | #Maryland ⁰⁰Several people are currently reporting across West Virginia into the Maryland area (unknown white dust/film falling from the sky. Some local fires… https://t.co/k8MRFgtHXf pic.twitter.com/BBwIX5W80t
— RAWSALERTS (@rawsalerts) February 24, 2023
Also seeing lots of reports in Inwood, Middleway, Kearneysville WV and other areas.
— RAWSALERTS (@rawsalerts) February 24, 2023
Some people in the Panhandle reported seeing a small plane before the dust, others speculated it was pine pollen, and some insisted it was a dust storm from New Mexico.
🚨#Update: We think it’s caused by yesterday’s dust storm in parts of New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma The Weather Satellite is seeing large dust plumes blowing across the states and heading up the East Coast pic.twitter.com/oMx3fOXWJ6
— RAWSALERTS (@rawsalerts) February 24, 2023
Local meteorologist Justin Burke posted, “What’s falling out of the clear sky? I was told Carroll County MD from West Virginia saw white ASH falling and coating. Michael Triplett sent me a picture of the ‘stuff’ on his truck in Westminster. If you have any additional pictures/videos, please Share and let us know where it is. The WV Department of Environmental Protection is asking for it. I want to help you figure it out.
The Hampshire County 911 Center posted “We are aware of recent reports of an unknown dust-like substance accumulating on cars and exterior surfaces. It is reported to be occurring throughout the tri-state area. We are aware of a few other social media sites that advise you to contact 911 if you witness this situation. Although you are more than welcome to contact our 911 center, we ask that you use the non-emergency number for this. (304-822-6000). Be prepared to provide your name, address and contact information so we can log information to environmental agencies if necessary.
“If you are experiencing this heavy dust material in your residence, according to the Office of Emergency Management, stay inside and turn off any devices that introduce outside air into your residence,” the post continued. “Unless there is a medical emergency or other type of emergency, responders will not respond to views of this material.”
Some of those who went out reported burning throats and itchy skin.
A similar dust fell in Connecticut last week — and it reportedly smelled like chlorine.
“Some have speculated it could be chemicals from a train derailment in Ohio earlier this month. NBC Connecticut meteorologists aren’t sure it could be because of a fire and chemical release from a derailment two weeks ago,” NBC Connecticut reported.
NBC Connecticut chief meteorologist says remnants of dust from a dust storm on the plains a few days ago are possible. They say they smelled a chlorine-like odor Friday morning in West Hartford, but they don’t have an explanation.
Gateway Pundits will update this story when more information becomes available.
