Sunday, May 15, 2011

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1700Z May 15, 2011


Alberta/Saskatchewan/Southern Manitoba/Ontario/Southeast Northwest
Territory:
Wildfires continue to burn over portions of central to northeast Alberta
this morning/afternoon. Large plumes of moderately dense to dense smoke
are seen moving northerly around the western edge of a high pressure
system. Light residual smoke from these wildfires is pushing north over
parts of northern Alberta/Saskatchewan and east across the southeast
sections of the Northwest Territories.  Another area of residual smoke is
seen moving south across Ontario and then west across southern Manitoba
and southeast Saskatchewan.  There is most likely smoke across parts
of northeast Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba, but due to cloud cover
the smoke cannot be seen in current satellite imagery.

Southeast Arizona/Southwest New Mexico:
The Horseshoe 2 wildfire continues to burn with a narrow light to
moderately dense smoke plume moving east into southwest New Mexico.

Kibler


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

 


Unless otherwise indicated:
  • Areas of smoke are analyzed using GOES-EAST and GOES-WEST Visible satellite imagery.
  • Only a general description of areas of smoke or significant smoke plumes will be analyzed.
  • A quantitative assessment of the density/amount of particulate or the vertical distribution is not included.
  • Widespread cloudiness may prevent the detection of smoke even from significant fires.