Pollution: Before and after a summer rain

Take a look at the first photo here: It's not raining in this photo. That’s no fog of some impending storm. This is Weijin Lu, four days after the closing of the Olympics. During the Olympics, air conditions were good enough to host preliminary football matches on this major street in Tianjin at the "Water Droplet" stadium. http://en.beijing2008.cn/cptvenues/venues/tjs/headlines/n214132329.shtml

The second photo is an image of Weijin Lu one day after a rainstorm cleared the air from Beijing to Harbin to Qingdao, leaving two days of blue skies in Tianjin. The last picture was taken from the observation deck of the Tianjin TV Tower on one of those remarkably clear days.

Beijing's pollution control measures meant to cut smog during the Olympics and Paralympics should still be in effect, until the Paralympics end on Sept. 17. In the face of last week's hazy smog, I have to ask if these regulations have measurably improved the air quality or if the region has simply been blessed with good weather. Read more at BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2.hi/asia-pacific/7569876.stm