DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0330Z November 22, 2006
Southern and Southeastern US: Brisk northerly flow along with clear skies and a very dry airmass was present across the Southeast this afternoon. A large number of fires were detected across the region from eastern Texas to Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. Quite a few of these fires across the southern half of Mississippi, southern Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle were emitting thin to moderately dense narrow areas of smoke which quickly moved in a southerly direction. Somewhat more dense smoke plumes were evident with the fires over southern and western Louisiana, far eastern Texas, and southern Arkansas. The thickest smoke plumes were originating from fires in Lafourche Parish of southeastern Louisiana, Beauregard Parish in southwestern Louisiana, and Tyler County of eastern Texas. The smoke plumes over far eastern Texas, southern Arkansas, and northern and western Louisiana were moving more in an easterly direction while also fanning out to the south. New Mexico: Fires in Sandoval and San Miguel Counties of north central New Mexico along with a fire in Otero County of south central New Mexico were producing mainly thin to locally moderately dense smoke plumes which were moving primarily in an eastward direction. Arizona: Fires in northwestern and southern Coconino County were responsible for relatively thin to locally moderately dense areas of smoke which spread to the northeast during the afternoon. JS