DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0245Z August 5, 2014
SMOKE: Canada/U.S: Large wildfire complexes burning in Northwest Territories near Great Slave Lake and newer wildfires appearing in northern Saskatchewan are producing a large amount of light to heavy density smoke, currently tracking to the east-southeast through central Canada and into the U.S. through the northern Plains and upper Mississippi Valley. Light to moderate density smoke is visible over the central U.S. and as far south as Oklahoma/Arkansas/Tennessee, and to the northeast through the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes region and western portions of the Northeast. The heaviest smoke is seen moving to the southeast over the wildfires, through Nunavut, western Hudson Bay, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and into the U.S. over Minnesota. Light to moderate remnant density smoke is also visible farther east over northern Hudson Bay, northern Quebec, Newfoundland, northern Labrador, and extending over the Atlantic. The smoke is thickest in this area over northern Hudson Bay, far northern Quebec, and extending over Baffin Island. British Columbia: Wildfires occurring through much of British Columbia are producing light to heavy density smoke, moving to the northeast into Alberta and southern NW Territories. This smoke is combining with the more extensive smoke originating from the wildfires in NW Territories. Northwestern U.S: Heavy density smoke is visible over much of the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies, affecting northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and western Montana. This smoke is originating from wildfires occurring in northern California, Oregon, Washington, as well as remnant smoke from wildfires in British Columbia. DUST: Gulf of Mexico/Texas: An area of Saharan dust is visible across much of western Gulf of Mexico, moving over the Texas coastline and visible throughout most of Texas. Heeps 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