DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z September 21, 2006

Southern California:
The very large Day fire located mainly in northern Ventura County appeared
to flare up once again late this afternoon as strong northerly winds
fanned the fire. The flare up late this afternoon resulted in a dense area
of smoke which spread mostly in a southerly direction from the fire and
right across the Los Angeles metro area. Somewhat less dense smoke has
spread all the way down the coast to the vicinity of San Diego by early
evening. Much thinner smoke from this fire was also noted spread across
the interior of southern California as well as portions of central and
southern Arizona, and the northern Baja Peninsula.

Northern California:
Currently, high level cloudiness is making smoke detection with the
Bassetts fire in central Sierra County difficult. Visible imagery from
a couple of hours ago indicated moderately dense to locally dense
smoke(closer to the fire source) spreading generally in a southerly
direction across portions of the Sacramento Valley and the foothills of
the central Sierras. As the day progressed the wind direction changed
from northeasterly to northerly resulting in a more southward movement to
the smoke. Farther to the northwest, a similar situation exists with the
fires in southwestern Siskiyou County and northern Trinity County with
change in wind direction blowing the smoke in a more southerly direction
during the afternoon and early evening. Also, high cloudiness here too
hindered smoke detection but earlier visible imagery did show locally
dense smoke in Trinity County, thinning out as it spread southward.

Southern and Southeastern US:
A rather large number of fires were detected across the portion of the
country stretching from eastern Texas to the Carolinas. Approximately 2
dozen of those were emitting visible smoke plumes although most of them
were of the thin to locally moderately dense variety and relatively short
lived. A bit farther to the west in McCulloch County of central Texas a
fire was producing a fairly significant moderately dense to even locally
dense smoke plume which traveled in a northerly direction to nearly 150
miles from its source.

JS

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.