DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0145Z July 20, 2009
Alaska/Canada/North Central US: Moderately dense to dense smoke continues to emanate from a number of fires burning across portions of Alaska and the Yukon province of northwestern Canada. Although cloud cover made it difficult to assess the full extent of the coverage, smoke extended east into the Northwest Territories and northwest to the Chukchi Sea. Southern Florida/Northwest Caribbean/Bahamas/Southern Gulf of Mexico: A large but diffuse area of Saharan dust was apparent stretching from the southern Bahamas to Cuba, the northwestern Caribbean and across the southern half of the Gulf of Mexico. Baja California: Dust was observed in central Baja California as a result of downdrafts associated with thunderstorm activity. More information on the areas of smoke described above as well as 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