Weather blamed for foul Cape smell

A weather phenomenon is being blamed for spreading a foul smell throughout Cape Cod.

A smell described as burning rubber, burning car brakes or melting plastic was reported Tuesday to fire departments from Bourne to Eastham.

Firefighters turned out in full gear trying to find something, but officials say the answer may have been in the air.

Meteorologist Alan Dunham tells the Cape Cod Times that "temperature inversion" can occur when an oncoming cold front pushes, then sits on, a warmer air mass in front of it.

He said the effect may have been to trap pollution and stink from elsewhere over the Cape for a while.

Possible sources of the smells are residues from brush fires in North Carolina or pollution from New York City.