Saturday APRIL 25, 2009

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0045Z APRIL 26, 2009

Western Gulf of Mexico:
The daily fires in the vicinity of the Yucatan Peninsula and central
Mexico have produced a large low to moderate density smoke plume that
extends over much of the Bay of Campeche and the western Gulf of Mexico.
At sunset, the smoke plume was seen extending into the coastal counties
of Texas and perhaps far southwestern Louisiana.

Eastern and Central Gulf of Mexico:
A thin area of smoke that is believed to have originated from the
wildfire over central Collier county in southern Florida was approaching
the central Gulf Coast and was centered roughly near the mouth of the
Mississippi.  A second area of moderately dense smoke was seen extending
from the point source over Collier county about 200 miles westward into
the southeast Gulf of Mexico.

Four-Corners Region:
The vigorous weather system now crossing through the region has helped
to kick up a large area that appeared to originate over northeast Arizona
and extend through northwest New Mexico and into central Colorado.

Hanna

THE FORMAT OF THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS BEING MODIFIED. IT WILL NO LONGER
DESCRIBE THE VARIOUS PLUMES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES. THESE
PLUMES ARE DEPICTED IN VARIOUS GRAPHIC FORMATS ON OUR WEB SITE:

JPEG:   http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/FIRE/hms.html
GIS:    http://www.firedetect.noaa.gov/viewer.htm
KML:    http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/FIRE/kml.html

THIS TEXT PRODUCT WILL CONTINUE TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF SMOKE
WHICH HAVE BECOME DETACHED FROM AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE
SOURCE FIRE, TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. IT WILL ALSO
STILL INCLUDE DESCRIPTIONS OF BLOWING DUST.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THESE CHANGES OR THE SMOKE TEXT
PRODUCT IN GENERAL SHOULD BE SENT TO SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov













 


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.