DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0245Z July 18, 2015
SMOKE: Central and Northern Canada: A large amount of light to moderate density smoke is seen across northern and central Canada, though extensive cloud cover makes it difficult to determine the full extent of the smoke. Areas of smoke are seen across eastern portions of Yukon Territory into the Northwest Territories, as well as light to moderate density smoke in southern Alberta that has been wrapped around the low pressure system in southern Canada, and another area of smoke across northeastern Manitoba/northern Ontario and over portions of Hudson Bay. Eastern Canada/Atlantic Ocean: Light density remnant smoke is seen drifting eastward over Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island as well as further south over the Atlantic just east of Massachusetts. A thin stripe of light density smoke is seen oriented northwest-southeast over far eastern Quebec and western Labrador and over portions of the Hudson Strait. More light density smoke is also seen generally just to the west of Greenland, remaining mostly over the ocean and extending towards Baffin Bay. This smoke is remnant smoke from wildfires occurring generally in Canada and Alaska. Northern Plains/South-central Canada: A thin stripe of light density smoke has been wrapped around the low pressure system in southern Canada and is seen over northern North Dakota into southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. This is likely from wildfires occurring throughout Canada. Alaska: An area of light to moderate density smoke is seen remaining over eastern portions of the Aleutians and moving further eastward. This smoke likely originates from wildfires that have occurred in the central part of the state. Southern California: A quickly building heavy density smoke plume is seen in southern California, moving towards the northeast. This is originating from a brush fire occurring earlier this afternoon near the Cajon Pass, to the northwest of San Bernardino. DUST: Central U.S: Areas of blowing dust are visible across much of the central U.S, seen moving inland from the Gulf of Mexico into Texas and is moving northward through the southern Plains and over much of the Mississippi Valley. The dust is visible as far north as southern Minnesota/eastern South Dakota. The dust is Saharan in origin. Atlantic Ocean/Gulf of Mexico: Another surge of Saharan dust is seen moving across the Atlantic towards the U.S. Its current extent appears to remain offshore of Florida as well as into central portions of the Gulf of Mexico. 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