Friday, October 21, 2005

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0300Z October 22, 2005

Southern Canada:
A handful of significant fires across the southern and southeastern
portions of Ontario Province continue to produce thick smoke plumes
which extended 30 to 60 miles to the ENE of the fires.

Southern US (Texas to Georgia):
Widespread fires were detected across the South and Southeast this
afternoon and early evening. Some cloudiness was present over a portion
of this region which limited the amount of smoke detected. However,
skies were rather clear across Louisiana and Texas. A number of fairly
large smoke plumes were analyzed particularly over western Louisiana and
southeastern Texas. Large smoke plumes were observed moving southeastward
and offshore from fires burning in or near the Anahuac Wildlife Refuge
in Chambers County, the Brazoria Wildlife Refuge in Brazoria County,
and close to Port O'Conner in Calhoun County.

California/Oregon/Washington:
Fires scattered along the entire length of the western portion of the
Olympic Peninsula of Washington were emitting smoke which was spreading in
a NNW direction. Several fires burning in the Ochoco National Forest and
the Malheur National Forest of central and eastern Oregon were responsible
for locally dense smoke plumes which were moving northwestward. Similar
smoke plumes were detected moving northward or northwestward from fires
across southwestern and southern Oregon, including ones located in western
Curry and Coos Counties as well as in the Winema National Forest and
the Fremont National Forest. Scattered fires along the western slopes
of the northern and central Sierras in northern and central California
were also producing fairly significant smoke plumes which were moving
generally in a northward direction. One of these fires located over south
central El Dorado County was responsible for an area of smoke which may
be nearing the western part of Lake Tahoe. A cluster of fires detected in
the Sacramento Valley were emitting an area of smoke which was swirling
in a counter-clockwise direction.

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.