Tuesday, June 23, 2009

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1800Z June 23, 2009

Pacific Northwest:
A broad area of thin aerosol was seen from off the coast of northern
California and southwest Oregon extending to the northeast across eastern
Oregon and Washington into northern Idaho, northwest Montana, southeast
British Columbia, southern Alberta and southwest Saskatchewan. The
source and composition of the aerosol is unknown but is thought to be
smoke based on it's appearance and properties.

Mid Mississippi Valley to the western Great Lakes:
An area of residual light smoke was seen in morning satellite imagery
which extended from eastern Wisconsin and western Michigan southward
across Indiana and into western Kentucky and Tennessee. The smoke area
then looped back to the north across Missouri and into Iowa.

Quebec:
An area of light to moderately dense smoke was seen over west central
Quebec to the east of James Bay. This residual smoke was associated with
wildfires across the area.

Ruminski

More information on additional areas of smoke associated with these
fires and others can be found at the locations listed below.

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.