美國西北部降“牛奶雨”

近年來，美國頻現異常天氣，讓人看著心驚肉跳。前些時候，華盛頓州以及俄勒岡州還下了一場奇怪的“牛奶雨”(milky rain)。于是，科學家紛紛展開研究，就其原因一探究竟。

Scientists from two laboratories plan to conduct tests of unusual precipitation that fell across the region in hopes of pinpointing the origins of so-called "milky rain" that has mystified residents.
來自兩家實驗室的科學家計劃，化驗西北地區降下的不同尋常的、令居民感到困惑的所謂“牛奶雨”的沉淀物，希望準確地找出其來源。

Officials at both the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Benton Clean Air Agency, both in Washington state, said they had collected samples of the rain, which left a powdery residue on cars across a wide swath of two states.
位于華盛頓州的美國西北太平洋國家實驗室和本頓清潔空氣機構的官員稱，已采集了“牛奶雨”的樣本。這種雨水給兩個州很多地區的汽車上蒙上一層粉末狀殘留物。

Scientists at the Pacific Northwest Nationallab said they believe the rain may have carried volcanic ash from an erupting volcano in Japan, while Benton Clean Air said its staffers believe dust from central Oregon was the culprit.
西北太平洋國家實驗室的科學家們稱，他們認為“牛奶雨”可能來自日本一座火山噴發出的火山灰。本頓清潔空氣機構則表示，他們的科學家認為，俄勒岡州中部地區的灰塵是罪魁禍首。

Wherever the milky precipitation came from, officials say they do not believe it poses any health risk. Air monitoring stations did not detect anything unusual while the milky rain was falling, said executive director of Benton Clean Air.
不管“牛奶雨”來自何方，官員稱，他們認為它不具有任何危及健康的風險。本頓清潔空氣機構的常務董事稱，在“牛奶雨”降下時，空氣監測站并未監測到任何異常。

（中國日報網英語點津 丁一）