Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the Weather: How Meteorology Shaped the Fate of the Atomic Bombs
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are often remembered as human tragedies and moral warnings. However, behind the horror, there was a decisive yet invisible factor: the weather. Forecasts, storms, and clear skies not only determined where the bombs would fall, but also how their devastation would spread. Eighty years later, meteorology reveals its hidden role in the birth of the nuclear era, from the Trinity test to the “fate of Kokura.”
Trinity: the first explosion under storms
On July 16, 1945, in the desert of New Mexico, the United States tested “the Gadget,” the first nuclear bomb. Despite electrical storms threatening the experiment, political pressure left no room for delays. The explosion was a military success, but the winds carried fallout for hundreds of kilometers. Years later, those who breathed, drank, or touched that “strange snow” suffered from cancer, malformations, and more. The atmosphere literally became a testing ground.
Hiroshima: the clear sky and black rain
On August 6, clear skies over Hiroshima allowed the Enola Gay to identify its target without obstacles. At 8:15 in the morning, “Little Boy” exploded and flattened the city in seconds. However, the destruction did not end there. The explosion’s pressure attracted moisture, forming a radioactive storm. The “black rain” fell on survivors, who unknowingly drank and bathed in invisible poison. What seemed like relief was actually a curse.
Kokura: saved by the fog
Three days later, the bomber Bockscar departed with “Fat Man,” a bomb. But the city was covered in smoke and clouds. After three failed attempts and low fuel, the crew diverted to their secondary target: Nagasaki. There, at 11:02, the bomb killed tens of thousands of people. In Japan, the expression “Kokura unmei” (“the fate of Kokura”) still exists, symbolizing how a cloud can decide between life and death.
From the past to the future, nuclear meteorology has played a crucial role in shaping history. Whether limiting or controlling the spread of radioactivity, weather forecasts have been decisive during the Cold War and beyond. The threat of “nuclear winter” highlights the dangerous equation between climate and warfare.
Memory and warning go hand in hand. The weather not only influenced the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki but also serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of war. Just one cloud can save a city or condemn another. Reflecting on how meteorology determined destinies in 1945 should reinforce a clear message: the future of humanity should never rely on atomic bombs again.
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