DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z August 07, 2009
Alaska: In the northern portion of the state, thin smoke can be seen but the remainder of the state is covered by clouds which obscure the true extent of the smoke. Western Canada: There are numerous fires throughout British Columbia and the Yukon territories. Smoke from these fires is dense near the source but becomes light as it moves to the west. A large ribbon of light smoke extends from the west coast in northern Alaska, through the northern Yukon, into the Northwest Territories and down to the northern border of Alberta. This smoke is likely remnant smoke from the fires throughout Alaska and western Canada. Utah: A large fire in Tooele County and another in north central Iron County are generating light to moderately dense smoke which appears to be mixing with sand/dust from the surrounding desert regions. Southwest: A thick ribbon of haze enters southern California from the Pacific and extends east into the southern portions of Nevada and Utah. Large scale weather patterns suggest this is smoke from the fires throughout British Columbia and Alaska which has been transported south. Salemi 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.osdpd.noaa.gov/ml/land/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