DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0030Z May 18, 2017
SMOKE: Western Gulf of Mexico / Bay of Campeche... A large mass of remnant light density smoke blankets the Western Gulf of Mexico including the Bay of Campeche. The smoke originated from agricultural burns taking place in Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula. An area of moderately dense smoke was also visible along Mexico's eastern border this evening. DUST: California/Nevada... A plume of moderate density dust originating from Edwards AFB north of Los Angeles, California was observed. The dust remains attached while extending East for more than 30 miles. Another streamer of light dust was observed originating near Modesto and moving south through the central valley. Additional light to moderate dust plumes were seen in Death Valley and Esmeralda county Nevada. These plumes were moving to the south. Arizona/New Mexico... A moderate to dense plume of dust was seen this evening from the Willcox Playa in southeast AZ and moving to the east northeast reaching the NM border by sunset. An area of light dust was seen from White Sands in south central NM and moving to the east northeast. Boll/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