DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0100Z April 20, 2013
Central US: The very thin layer of dust/sand mentioned earlier today still remains over the Central US. The origin of this dust/sand likely Eastern Asia. The full extent of this dust/sand can not be determined due to weather clouds of the eastern and western US. -Salemi Earlier Today: Smoke: Western Straits of Florida: Smoke from overnight fires near or just west of Havana, Cuba produced smoke that can be seen moving north approaching the Dry Tortugas and Key West. Dust/Sand: Central US: Very thin dust/sand can be seen moving SE across a large portion of the US Central plains at a relatively high altitude. The origin of this dust/sand can be traced back to Eastern Asia/China. The highest density (though still light) can be seen covering E CO, W KS, SW NE and the OK panhandle. Thinner dust/sand covers SE WY to NW LA across all of Texas into far E NM. More dense and moderately dense areas can be seen in yesterday's visible loop across the Pacific from Japan to Hawaii then northward over the Ridge toward the US Pacific NW and BC. Gallina THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF 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