DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0300Z May 25, 2010
Central US/Great Lakes Region/South Central and Southeastern Canada: A large mass of aerosol was observed under the large upper level high pressure ridge axis extending from the middle Ohio Valley and middle Mississippi Valley regions northward through the upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes region. The aerosol then extends northeastward into south central Canada and eventually eastward across Southeastern Canada. It is not known if the aerosol is composed of any leftover smoke. Gulf of Mexico: A distinct large patch of aerosol was visible through the day across a good portion of the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico. Some smoke may be contributing to this aerosol, though it is not known how much smoke is present there. Central US: A swath of aerosol, which is likely partially composed of smoke and blowing dust, stretches from southern Texas northward to the Central and Northern Plains. Smoke from the seasonal fires burning in Mexico and Central America may have been drawn northward and could be present in these areas. Additionally, large fires in southern New Mexico and northern New Mexico (near the Colorado border) are producing large smoke plumes which are moving in a northeastward direction and are merging with the band of aerosol over the Plains. Finally, streaks of blowing dust originating from sources in Colorado were visible this afternoon moving rapidly to the east and northeast toward the Central Plains of Kansas and Nebraska. JS 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