One of the most haunting weather satellite images of all time – September 11, 2001.
The day began with a sky of cobalt blue. A powerful hurricane, Erin, was narrowly missing the Northeast. It skirted offshore, sparing the East Coast a Sandy-like weather disaster.
In its wake, dry, comfortable New England air was being gently swirled south over New England and the New York City Tri-State. The air was crisp and comfortable; the weather was absolutely sublime. Winds were light and northerly. At the time, it felt like the perfect fall day.
But the quiescence belied a different type of disaster – an impending, sinister act that would forever alter life in both the United States and the world as a whole.
Approximately three thousand lives would be lost – more than in any U.S. hurricane since 1928. A cataclysm of unprecedented proportions would strike New York City and reverberate around the country and the world. The 9/11 terrorist attacks would signify an inflection point in American, and world, history.
At 10:39 a.m., a NOAA/NASA satellite would peer down from space, seeing Erin offshore... and something else. Zooming in, a tendril of thick, black smoke can be seen emanating from the site of the collapsed World Trade Center towers. Surrounding it, hardly a cloud.
It remains perhaps the most chilling weather image of all time. Our thoughts remain with all those affected – and our gratitude extends to all the brave men and women who, amid the nation's darkest hour, exhibited the best of humanity.