Saturday, August 4, 2012

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0245Z August 05, 2012

Idaho/Wyoming/Kansas/South Dakota:
An elongated area of moderately dense smoke was visible this evening
stretching from Idaho eastward towards the Minnesota border. The bulk
of this remnant smoke likely originated from the wildfires in Idaho,
especially the Halstead fire. An area of very dense smoke was present
and attached to the Halstead fire itself, spreading eastward toward the
southwest Montana border, as it continued to emit copious amounts of
smoke at sunset.

Oklahoma/Arkansas/Missouri/Texas:
An area of moderate-to-thick density smoke was present across eastern
Oklahoma/northwest Arkansas/southwest Missouri today. This smoke mostly
originated from the Bluegill wildfire located in Creek County, OK, but
also was composed of smoke from another wildfire located south-southeast
of Bluegill. A larger area of thin-density smoke extended further south
from this area into central Texas and was likely remnant smoke from the
multiple fires burning across Oklahoma/Arkansas recently.

Georgia:
A small area of light smoke could been seen intermixed with the
clouds this afternoon across the southern half of Georgia, spreading
westward. This is likely smoke from the numerous agricultural burns in
the area.

Saskatchewan/Alberta:
An area of light-density smoke was visible across southern
Saskatchewan/southern Alberta extending a bit into the northern fringe
of Montana. This smoke is likely remnants from the wildfires burning
across northwest Manitoba/Northwest Territories and has gotten wrapped
around the low pressure system.


-Vogt



THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT
AREAS SMOKE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES AND SMOKE WHICH HAS BECOME
DETACHED FROM THE FIRES AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SOURCE
FIRE..TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST
ARE ALSO DESCRIBED. USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VIEW A GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF
THESE AND OTHER PLUMES WHICH ARE LESS EXTENSIVE AND STILL ATTACHED TO
THE SOURCE FIRE 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
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS PRODUCT 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.