DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0230Z May 20, 2014
SMOKE: Southern Plains: A large area of light-density remnant smoke is visible moving NE through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and SE South Dakota this evening at sundown. The smoke originates from the wildfires in Arizona, Mexico, and the agricultural burns in south. It is also possible that the smoke is mixed with blowing dust/sand from the recent events to the east as well as the Asian dust that has been blowing over the Pacific. AEROSOLS: SE US/Atlantic Ocean: A large area of light-density unknown aerosols are visible moving SE through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida into the Atlantic Ocean this evening. The aerosols could be mixed with remnant smoke as well from the fires that have been burning in the SE recently. Western Gulf of Mexico: A large area of unknown aerosols are visible moving westward in the Gulf, offshore from Louisiana to Texas. A general haze is visible over much of the Gulf of Mexico, however the more dense areas are visible in the western Gulf around 2200Z. DUST: Southern California: Plumes of blowing dust/sand are visible moving eastward in Borrego Springs, CA, just east of the Salton Sea. The plumes are first visible at approximately 2200Z and continue until sunset to the Arizona border. New Mexico: Steams of blowing dust/sand are visible moving NE in Brimhall Mizhonia, NM just north of the Navaho Service Route 9. The plumes are first visible at approximately 2300Z and continue until sunset to the Colorado border. Oegerle 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