Sunday, August 12, 2007

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0315Z UTC August 13, 2007

Idaho, Montana, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Wyoming, North Dakota, Manitoba
and Minnesota:
The fires primarily in central Idaho and western Montana (but also in
southeastern Idaho and northern Wyoming) continue to produce large plumes
of dense to very dense smoke that extend northeastward and eastward.
As a result, Idaho (except for parts of southern Idaho), Montana, southern
Alberta, southern Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, northern Wyoming and
northern Minnesota are covered with moderate to dense to very dense smoke
and North Dakota, and southern Minnesota have light to moderate smoke.

Oregon and Washington:
The fire in northwest Jefferson County is producing a long narrow plume of
dense to very dense smoke that extends far into Washington almost reaching
the Canadian border.  This fire as well as remnants from previous days
fires in Idaho and Montana are also producing the light smoke that covers
most of central and northern Oregon and eastern and central Washington.

U.S. Midwest and Ontario:
Light smoke from todays Montana/Idaho fires extends eastward as far
as the U.S. Midwest including most of Illinois, most of Indiana, Ohio
except for northern Ohio, all of Michigan and Wisconsin, Lake Michigan,
and Lake Huron, and southeastern Ontario.

Texas, Southeast US and adjacent waters:
An area of haze mixed with light smoke extends from Texas, into the
northern Gulf Of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast states, across northern
Florida, over Georgia, South and North Carolina and southcentral Virginia
(and the adjacent part of the Atlantic Ocean).  The smoke
is a remnant of previous days' fires in the U.S. northwest.  In addition
a few small plumes of mostly light smoke can be seen extending primarily
southward from probable agricultural burns in Tennessee, Arkansas,
Louisiana and Mississippi.

California:
The Santa Barbara County fire continues to produce a large plume of dense
smoke that extends toward the north northeast reaching the  southeastern
edge of Yosemite National Park. The fire near the Kings/Fresno/Monterey
Counties' border region is producing a narrow moderate to dense plume
that extends northward, becoming light smoke as it enters Mariposa County.

 


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.