With the recent disaster in Japan many folks have fears of radiation contamination. However, experts point out that radiation levels pose little or no health threat outside of the 50 mile radius of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. If that is the case, then one of the biggest factors in determining the extent of the threat is the wind direction and speed. During the last few days winds have been blowing "offshore" over Japan which means the greatest contamination is out over the open waters of the Pacific. The forecast however, calls for an approaching storm today into Monday which could turn winds to the northeast, potentially spreading radiation inland. Naturally there are many other factors that go into this type of prediction, but let us hope this is a forecast that is incorrect.
