DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0000Z JANUARY 13, 2009

Texas/Louisiana:
More than 2 dozen fires with smoke visible in satellite imagery were
analyzed today especially across eastern and southeastern Texas as well
as west central and southern Louisiana. Most of the numerous thin to
moderately dense smoke plumes in the region from east central Texas
(just east of College Station) to west central Louisiana (just south
of Alexandria) were moving in a northward direction. The thickest
smoke plume (moderately dense to dense smoke) originated from fires
in southern Rapides Parish of west central Louisiana. In southern
Louisiana, moderately dense smoke was moving to the west from a fire in
southeastern Vermillion Parish. In southeastern Texas, moderately dense
smoke fanned out to the east and west as it spread southward and out over
the Gulf of Mexico from a fire in southeastern Matagorda County. A bit
farther to the south, thin smoke moved primarily to the southeast and
eventually offshore from a fire near the border of Victoria and Calhoun
counties. Finally, over southern Texas, a fire near the border of Duval
and Jim Hogg counties produced a moderately dense smoke plume which moved
mainly to the east-southeast, but also spread westward a bit as well.

Southwestern to South Central Kansas/North Central to northwestern
Oklahoma:
An west to east elongated swath of what is believed to be blowing dust of
thin density was visible moving to the south along the KS-OK border. This
possible area of blowing dust may also contain some suspended blowing
snow as well which has been kicked up by very strong northerly winds
blowing across the Northern and Central Plains behind a strong cold front.

Eastern New Mexico/Western Texas:
Behind the same cold front described in the paragraph above, strong
northerly winds also appeared to kick up an area of blowing dust of
relatively thin density which spread southward from northwestern Texas
and east central New Mexico to southeastern New Mexico and southwestern
Texas (near Midland) just prior to sunset.

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.