DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0315Z February 28, 2011
Southern US and Northern Mexico: An extensive area of blowing dust was seen this afternoon/evening originating from numerous sources across much of western Texas, southeast New Mexico and northern Mexico. The dust began at around 1530Z in northern Mexico from a point source south of El Paso, TX and spiraled northeast to southeast-south towards sunset. At 1700Z, a dense area of blowing dust originating from numerous areas across western Texas began moving towards the northeast and into Oklahoma and southern Kansas by sunset. A third area of blowing dust was seen originating from a point source west of Big Bend National Park. This moderately dense plume of dust was seen moving northeast into the US before merging with larger area of dust. Numerous brush fires were also analyzed across a good portion of western Texas and southeast New Mexico. Dense smoke from these fires was seen moving from their source to the northeast before blending with the extensive coverage of blowing dust. Earlier Today: Gulf of Mexico: A large area of light aerosol covered most of the western and northern Gulf of Mexico this morning. This aerosol has been present for the last few days when viewing visible satellite imagery. The aerosol is believed to be composed of smoke from the gas flares in the Bay of Campeche along with smoke from agricultural burning from the United States, Mexico and Central America. Some embedded, higher-density aerosol/smoke patches are located in the western Gulf of Mexico, off of the Texas coast. Atlantic Ocean: An area of light aerosol, assumed to be remnant smoke from agricultural fires, is located off of the east coast of Florida, stretching from Cocoa Beach to Jacksonville. This aerosol is moving generally to the north. Earle/Myrga 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. THE SMOKE TEXT PRODUCT IN GENERAL SHOULD BE SENT TO SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THESE CHANGES OR THE SMOKE TEXT PRODUCT IN GENERAL SHOULD BE SENT TO SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov