DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0230Z May 20, 2006.

Southeastern US:
Scattered fires were detected throughout Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
and the Carolina's with only a few of the fires producing visible smoke.

Lower Mississippi Valley/Texas:
A fire in Natchitoches county, of west central Louisiana is producing
a moderately dense to dense smoke plume that spread northeast into far
northeastern Louisiana by sunset.  A fire in Blacno county of central
Texas is producing a moderately dense smoke plume that fans out over
several nearby counties.  There are many other fires scattered throughout
the Lower Mississippi Valley/Texas that are producing mainly light plumes
of smoke.

Northern Plains/South Central Canada:
Several smoke producing fires were noted across North Dakota/Minnesota,
but widespread cloudiness present over the region may have prevented
the detection of additional smoke.

Southwestern US:
A couple of fires in southern Utah have been burning for quite some
time but only appear to be producing a rather localized area of smoke
which was moving to the northeast. Fires in Mohave County of western
Arizona and also along the Navajo-Coconino County border region were
not visible until late this afternoon were producing moderately dense
smoke plumes which were moving generally in a northeastward direction.

Banks/Simko

Unless otherwise indicated:

Areas of smoke are analyzed using GOES-EAST and GOES-WEST Visible satellite imagery.

Only a general description of areas of smoke or significant smoke plumes will be analyzed.

A quantitative assessment of the density/amount of particulate or the vertical distribution is not included.

Widespread cloudiness may prevent the detection of smoke even from significant fires.