DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0145Z April 23, 2014
California/Nevada/Utah: Strong winds, in some areas in excess of 50mph, associated with a strong storm system were generating areas of light to moderately dense blowing dust across much of southern Nevada and western Utah this afternoon and evening. The dust began around 21Z and expanded, continuing through sunset. Another area was also seen in and around Death Valley in California. The dust in California and western Nevada was moving to the south while the dust in eastern Nevada and western Utah was moving to the east and northeast. Central and Northern Plains/South Central Canada: A general thin haziness was detected over this broad area. This elevated aerosol is likely a mix of dust and sulfate that has been transported across the Pacific from Asia. Within this broad area, there were also area of fresh smoke of light to moderate density from the large number of agricultural fires across the region. The fires and smoke were most concentrated over eastern Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. Northwest Gulf of Mexico into the Southeast US: A broad area of mostly light aerosol was seen over much of the northwest half of the Gulf, extending into Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. The composition and source of the aerosol is uncertain but aerosol models suggest it is a mix of long range dust transport from Asia along with local sulfate. There is also likely a small amount of smoke mixed in as well from recent agricultural burning. Ruminski 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.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/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