DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0245Z July 24, 2009
Alaska/Territories: Earlier Today Cloud cover across this region is making it difficult to see the full view of smoke as numerous wildfires continue to burn across the state. An area of light smoke is seen across central Alaska and another area across the western Northwest Territories as gaps between the clouds are over these areas. Latest: Smoke is still difficult to see, but some cloud breaks are making it a little bit easier. Moderately dense to dense smoke can be seen moving NE from the wildfires burning across the region. Western Canada/US/Northern Rockies/Northern/Central Plains/Mississippi Valley: Earlier Today A wildfire burning in S British Columbia near Kelowna and one in Washington State are producing a large area of light to moderately dense smoke spreading across southern British Columbia/Alberta moving SE over Montana/W North Dakota and as far south as N Oklahoma and NW Arkansas. An area of moderately dense smoke stretches over sections of South Dakota, S Minnesota and over most of Iowa. Latest: Light to moderately dense smoke continues to move toward the S and E moving farther into the central/southern Plains and also reaching into the Ohio Valley region. Oklahoma: Fires in Stevens and Seward counties were producing light smoke moving north and south from the source earlier in the evening. Currently, the smoke continues to get thinner as it moves farther north into Kansas and south across the Oklahoma/Texas borders. Central Canada: An area of elevated SO2 can be seen in satellite imagery moving SSE across parts of central Canada. There may be some light smoke from the Alaska fires mixed in with the SO2, but based the latest information, the area is mostly SO2. J Kibler 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