DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THRU 0400Z JULY 30, 2005
Alaska: Extensive cloud cover over the eastern portion of interior Alaska (roughly east of Fairbanks) makes smoke detection difficult. Moderate to dense smoke covers much of the western part of the state. An area extends from the northwest over Kotzebue Sound southeastward and then east toward Fairbanks. The smoke area also drops southward into southwest Alaska, passing mainly between Kodiak Island and Squaw Harbor. The smoke continues into the Gulf and reaches as far south as 52N153W. Oregon/Idaho/Montana: Moderately dense smoke from several fires in northern Idaho (near Lewiston) and near the Idaho/Oregon border (near Ontario) is seen mixed with clouds and moving to the northeast. The smoke from the northern Idaho fires extends into northwest Montana, crossing the continental divide while the smoke from the fires near Ontario reach into central Idaho. Additional fires in southwest Oregon have smoke that has mainly remained more localized. This includes fires in the Wild Rogue Wilderness, southwest Douglas county and northeast of Ashland. More extensive smoke was associated with a fire complex near Klamath Falls and was moving northeast into Lake county. Utah/Wyoming: A plume of smoke is seen extending from a fire in southwest Daggett county Utah in the Ashley National Forest to the northeast into southwest Wyoming. The smoke is interspersed with extensive clouds across the area. California: A fire in Sequoia and Kings Canyon is spreading smoke to the northeast. A blaze south of Bakersfield is producing smoke that is drifting to the south. Dust and Sand: A large area of Saharan dust and sand can be seen over much of the southwest Gulf of Mexico. The northern extent is from near Corpus Christi in Texas to Campeche on the western Yucatan peninsula. Ruminski