Wildfire smoke in North America could be creating clouds over Europe

Smoke from wildfires now burning in North America may be seeding the formation of more cirrus clouds over Europe. More clouds could affect the amount of solar radiation trapped close to the earth’s surface, in what researchers say may be a new aspect of climate change.

Cirrus clouds are the wispy strands often visible high in the sky. They form from accumulations of ice crystals in the frigid air near the stratosphere. Whether or not …