Friday, May 11, 2007

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1500Z May 11, 2007

Great Lakes Region:
Residual smoke from the fires in northern Minnesota can be seen moving
across Lake Superior, Michigan and into Lake Michigan.  The original
source of this smoke was from a fire located in Cook County of
northeastern Minnesota, on the Ontario border.

Southeast US:
The enormous fires in Clinch and Charlton counties, Georgia, and
Columbia and Baker counties, Florida continue producing massive amounts
of very dense smoke.  The fires throughout these counties are forming
one massive smoke plume that is moving to the southwest and spreading in
every direction once reaching the Gulf Coast.  The majority of the very
dense smoke is moving to the south, where it reaches the southern portions
of Florida's Gulf Coast and spreads out to both the east and the west.
On the Gulf side the smoke extends roughly 325 nmi into the center of the
Gulf of Mexico, most of it being extremely dense smoke. Where it spreads
to the east southeast it covers the majority of southern Florida, where
it then goes off into the Atlantic Ocean and across the Bahama Islands.
Some of the smoke is still being wrapped up in Tropical Disturbance
Andrea off Florida's Atlantic Coast.

Also, right where the main smoke plume reaches the Gulf, some of the
less dense smoke can be seen moving to the northwest back into Florida's
panhandle and up into southeast Alabama and southwest Georgia.

Along the US East Coast, mainly just east of North Carolina, residual
smoke from yesterday can be seen moving up the coast.  The smoke is only
light to moderately dense, but it has moved quite a distance.


California:
The fire on Santa Catalina Island, just west of San Diego, continues to
produce dense smoke that is moving to the southeast and down California's
southern coast.


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.