DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0230Z May 20, 2015
SMOKE: Western Gulf of Mexico: A large plume of medium-density smoke was visible this morning from the Bay of Campeche west to the coast of Mexico and north towards US waters. This smoke originates from the numerous agricultural burns taking place in Mexico as well as oil exploration in the Gulf. Central US/Canada: Large areas of light to medium-density smoke are visible throughout Canada and the northern US due to multiple wildfires and agricultural burns taking place in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Smoke is visible affecting NW Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Smoke in Alberta is traveling NW, where smoke residual smoke as well as agricultural burns in Saskatchewan are moving SE. Due to the cloud cover in British Columbia, it is difficult to determine the boundaries of smoke located there, but two medium-density plumes are visible there moving north. Southwest Florida: Light to moderate smoke from a wildfire burning in the western Everglades continues to be seen moving west into the eastern Gulf of Mexico. 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