Sunday, July 16, 2006

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0220Z July 17, 2006.

Minnesota:
The wildfires throughout Lake and Cook counties continue to produce dense
plumes of smoke that are fanning out in several directions, but visible
imagery late in the evening shows the smoke moving east to northeast
into southern Ontario and out over Lake Superior.  Several smaller fires
along the Minnesota/Ontario border are producing moderately dense smoke
and are also contributing to this large area of smoke over northeast
Minnesota/Southern Ontario. Throughout the day this smoke has travelled
over Lake Superior and is now covering most of Michigan and Ohio.

Montana/Wyoming/Nebraska/Dakota's:
The enormous wildfires in Montana continue to burn today producing massive
amounts of very dense smoke.  All of these wildfires are found on the
eastern half of Montana, while the largest of the wildfires can be found
on the northern border of Garfield county directly along Fort Peck Lake.
The wildfires in northwest Wyoming are also producing massive amounts
of very dense smoke that is moving northeast.  The largest wildfire can
be found in Shoshone National Forest.  In Cherry county of northern
Nebraska a large fire broke out late in the evening and is producing
moderately dense to very dense smoke that is fanning out in an easterly
direction.  Several small fires throughout the Dakota's can also be
seen producing moderately dense plumes of smoke that are contributing
to the massive area of smoke moving into the eastern United States.
Wyoming/Montana/Nebraska/Dakota's/Minnesota/Iowa/Wisconsin and northeast
Illinois are the states that are being affected the most by this area
of smoke.

Arkansas:
A fire in Perry county of central Arkansas is producing a moderately
dense plume of smoke that is moving south.

California/Nevada:
The wildfire in San Bernardino county of southern Cali. continues to
produce a very dense plume of smoke that is fanning out to the west.
This plume of smoke may be affecting the Los Angeles metro area.
In Santa Clara county of central Cali. a fire is producing a moderately
dense plume of smoke that is moving to the northeast.  A fire in Plumas
county broke out late in the evening and is producing a locally dense
plume of smoke that is fanning out to the east/southeast.  The fires
throughout Nevada continue to produce dense plumes of smoke that are
moving to the northeast and heavily affecting northern Utah.

Ontario:
Fires in western and central Ontario are producing moderately dense
plumes of smoke that are moving directly east.

Saskatchewan:
The wildfires around Lake Athabasca in northwest Saskatchewan flared
up again today and began producing moderately dense to dense plumes of
smoke that are moving southeast.

Banks

 


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.