The Chinese balloon is drawing the eye of meteorologists throughout the United States.

Larry Mayer/AP

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Larry Mayer/AP

The Chinese balloon is drawing the eye of meteorologists throughout the United States.

Larry Mayer/AP

Meteorologists are monitoring an unlikely fixture within the sky this weekend: a balloon from China that’s the newest topic of nationwide safety issues within the United States.

The balloon, which is reportedly getting used for analysis functions, unintentionally went off track and is now floating over U.S. airspace, in accordance with China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry. But it is inflicting havoc within the realm of U.S. nationwide safety: The Defense Department claims the balloon is definitely getting used for surveillance — and this conflicting view even led Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a trip to Beijing. The balloon’s presence comes at a time of increased tension between China and the U.S. over national security.

The balloon, which U.S. officers started monitoring east from Montana, is now someplace over the continental United States. And whereas officers are saying the balloon poses zero threat to civilians, it’s garnering consideration as meteorologists and beginner observers observe its route.

Meteorologists, storm chasers and followers of unusual phenomena have all shared images and movies of the balloon on-line. The hashtags #ChineseSpyBalloon and #ChinaBalloon have additionally gained traction on Twitter.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created a graphic showing the balloon’s course, whereas one meteorologist in Raleigh, N.C., shared an illustration exhibiting that the balloon is projected to fly over North Carolina by Saturday.

The National Weather Service’s regional headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., stated the balloon could possibly be seen from its workplace in Pleasant Hill on Friday afternoon.

“We have confirmed that it is not an NWS weather balloon,” it tweeted.

A meteorologist in Salisbury, Md., shared a forecast from NOAA exhibiting the balloon’s projected route over the following 72 hours. The scientist, Dan Satterfield, stated the route may change.

“IF it can be raised and lowered, the track might vary quite a bit,” Satterfield tweeted. “It would have to be lowered into the commercial air lanes though to change it a lot.”

As U.S. and Chinese officers proceed to disagree over the balloon’s goal and the plans to take care of it, it is clear that, in the meantime, many individuals shall be dutifully watching the balloon’s progress.