DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0230Z December 21, 2012
Western and Northern Gulf of Mexico: An extensive amount of elevated dust could be seen over the Gulf of Mexico in evening satellite imagery along and behind a frontal boundary that was progressing eastward. This dust originated over portions of northern Mexico, eastern and southern New Mexico, and west and northwest Texas yesterday as a strong weather system moved through the region lofting the dust into the atmosphere. The dust should continue to move eastward and southeastward with the frontal boundary. Southeastern Gulf of Mexico/Southwest Florida: An unknown aerosol was seen moving northward over the Southeastern Gulf of Mexico, which appears similar to the unknown aerosol seen near the Gulf of Campeche yesterday. There did appear to be several smoke plumes originating from Cuba this evening which could be at least part of the makeup of the aerosol. Northern Plains: Strong winds across the eastern Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, and northern Missouri was causing blowing snow that could be seen in the evening satellite imagery, generally moving southward. Sheffler 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