Thursday, October 20, 2005

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0300Z October 21, 2005

Southern Canada:
Several significant fires scattered across south central and southeastern
Ontario Province of Canada were responsible for dense smoke plumes which
were moving off to the ESE.

Southeastern US/Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley/Southeastern Texas:
Numerous fires with smoke were detected this afternoon and early evening
across a very large swath stretching from southeastern Texas across the
middle and lower Mississippi Valley to the Southeast. The fires with the
largest and most dense smoke plumes were over western Georgia, central
to southwestern Alabama, central to western Louisiana, and southeastern
Texas. All smoke plumes in this region were moving in a NNE or NE
direction. Even though a very concentrated area of agricultural burns was
analyzed over the middle Mississippi Valley, only minimal amounts of smoke
were detected. Cloudiness from an approaching weather system overspread
the area late in the afternoon at the time when smoke generally can be
observed the best using GOES-East Visible Imagery with the low sun angle.

Eastern Oklahoma/Western Arkansas:
An isolated fire fanned by gusty westerly winds over western Pushmataha
county of eastern Oklahoma was producing a narrow smoke plume which
extended over 100 miles to the east into western Arkansas.

Oregon/California:
Areas of locally dense smoke moving off to the east were detected this
evening from several fires scattered across the Ochoco National Forest and
the Malheur National Forest of central and eastern Oregon. Other fires
over Klamath County of southern Oregon were producing smoke plumes that
had spread southeastward toward the California border. At least 2 of these
fires were noted in the Winema National Forest. Quite a few fires were
also observed farther to the south over northern and central California
including several significant smoke producing fires in the forests along
the western slopes of the northern and central Sierras. The smoke from
these fires was generally moving to the southwest toward the Sacramento
Valley. A fire just east of Crescent City in far northwestern California
and one very close to or in the northern portion of the Redwood National
Park were spreading locally dense smoke southward.

Southwestern Canada:
Numerous fires over southern and central British Columbia were responsible
for patches of smoke. The smoke from the fires in southern British
Columbia was moving southeasterly while the plumes over the central
portion of the province were headed northward.

JS

 


Unless otherwise indicated:
  • Areas of smoke are analyzed using GOES-EAST and GOES-WEST Visible satellite imagery.
  • Only a general description of areas of smoke or significant smoke plumes will be analyzed.
  • A quantitative assessment of the density/amount of particulate or the vertical distribution is not included.
  • Widespread cloudiness may prevent the detection of smoke even from significant fires.