Thursday, March 13, 2008

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0230Z March 14, 2008

Mid Atlantic through the Southeast:
A tremendous amount of fire activity was detected on satellite imagery
this afternoon and evening from the Carolinas to Mississippi.  Numerous
fires were also detected from Virginia through the Chesapeake Bay region
and extending into central New Jersey.  High clouds from approaching
weather system helped to hinder the smoke analysis somewhat over the
entire region this evening.  The smoke plumes that were detected were
mostly low to locally moderate density and were mostly moving in a
northeastward direction.  Some of the more noteworthy smoke plumes are
as follows:

Offshore Carolinas and Georgia:
Earlier this afternoon remnant smoke from widespread fire activity
yesterday was located approximately from just offshore Cape Fear and
extended southwest towards the Intracoastal Waterway of SC and then
further to the southwest to just offshore the St. Simons Island region
of GA.  More than likely the smoke did extend inland over some locations
but it was rather difficult to detect on afternoon satellite imagery.

Florida Panhandle:
A fire over western Franklin county earlier produced a large and dense
smoke plume that was lifting rapidly north into southern Liberty county.
High clouds obscured further detection of the smoke plume as it moved
into southern Liberty county late this afternoon.

Alabama:
Several long distance smoke plumes were produced by fires in Escambia
and Geneva counties.  The smoke plumes were mostly low density with some
isolated locations with moderate density.  The plumes extended anywhere
between 50-100 miles northeastward from their respective point sources.

Mississippi:
A group of what appears to be rather intense fires over Stone county
combined to form a large and locally dense smoke plume over southern
Mississippi.  The plume was lifting rapidly towards the northeast
with its furthest extent being along a line from northern Forrest to
central Greene county as cloud cover began to obscure the plume early
this evening. Another group of fires over Scott county was producing
a large and moderately dense smoke plume that was lifting off to the
northeast into Leake/Neshoba/Winston/Attala counties.

Texas:
Isolated fire activity over the area was producing mostly low density
and isolated long distance smoke plumes that were moving rapidly off to
the east.

Montana:
A cluster of fires was located just northeast of Great Falls in
north/northeast Cascade and southern Chouteau counties.  The most
significant fire appeared to be about 15 miles north of GTF and this
fire was producing a localized moderately dense smoke plume that was
seen moving east into central Chouteau county around the time cloud
cover moved over the region late this afternoon.

Hanna




 


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.