DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0327Z May 14, 2010
Gulf of Mexico: As cloud cover over the western Gulf of Mexico moved slightly eastward today, visible imagery revealed an expansive area of thin to moderate density smoke from the Bay of Campeche northward to the Texas coast and spread west across far northeastern Mexico/south Texas. This smoke is believed to be almost entirely from the enormous amount of agricultural burning that has been going on in Mexico and Central America recently. Southern US: A large area of thin smoke was present this evening over parts of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina extending out over coastal waters along a frontal boundary. Another area of thin smoke was also seen just west of southern Florida as well. Numerous fires during the past few days in the southeast, mainly in Florida, are likely responsible for some of the smoke though remnant smoke from Mexico or Cuba may also be mixed in. Central US Plains: A thin aerosol seen over parts of Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa this evening is believed to be blowing dust that was picked up from New Mexico and western Texas over the past two days by strong winds. Central Manitoba/Southern Saskatchewan/East Montana/Dakotas: An area of thin smoke was analyzed from central Manitoba extending southwest into southern Saskatchewan towards northeastern Montana and western North Dakota. Another small area of thin smoke was present over the North Dakota/South Dakota border. The source of this smoke is believed to be yesterdays' and todays' fire activity over southern and central Saskatchewan. Northwestern US: Thin smoke was observed this evening over eastern Washington, north Idaho, and northwest Montana. Smoke producing fires in the region today and yesterday were the likely causes of this remnant smoke. -Sheffler 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