Tuesday, June 23, 2009

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z June 24, 2009

Pacific Northwest into southern Canadian Plains:
The area of aerosol identified in the previous discussion was now seen
stretching across northern California, much of Idaho and Montana and
into southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. However, this does not appear
to be smoke but rather sulphur dioxide (SO2) from a volcanic eruption
in the Kuril Islands south of Kamchatka several days ago. The smoke
which is depicted in this area in the graphics is therefore not correct,
but rather represents the extent of the SO2.

Mid Mississippi Valley to the western Great Lakes:
An area of remnant light smoke was seen in satellite imagery prior to
sunset from southwest Indiana and into western Kentucky, Tennessee and
the Missouri Bootheel.

Alaska:
Areas of smoke depicted in the graphics over portions of northeast Alaska
and into the Northwest Territory and Yukon, as well as over the northern
Gulf of Alaska is not smoke but rather SO2 from the volcanic eruption
noted above.

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.