Friday, May 5, 2006

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0300Z MAY 6, 2006.

Gulf of Mexico:
The tremendous number of fires burning across Mexico (especially the
Yucatan Peninsula) and Central America continues to produce a very large
mass of smoke which covers much of the region from the Bay of Campeche
northward to the western and central Gulf of Mexico. Some of the smoke
may have spread northward into or very close to southern and southeastern
Texas as well as extreme southern Louisiana. Visible imagery just prior
to sunset show a general haze across these portions of Texas and Louisiana
which may contain some remnant thin smoke.

Cuba/Florida:
A significant number of fires across Cuba were responsible for numerous
smoke plumes. The fires over the western portion of Cuba were spreading
smoke in a more northerly direction which appeared to be moving close
to or across the Florida Keys. An area of haze which may also contain
some remnant smoke extended from the western portion of Cuba northward
then curving northeastward toward west central Florida. Over Florida
several very intense fires were observed this afternoon and early
evening producing major plumes of locally dense smoke. The largest
fires were located in Volusia, eastern Orange, west central Brevard,
and southeastern Polk Counties. The smoke plumes spread eastward across
the east central coast of Florida and out over the Atlantic Ocean.

Mexico/Texas/Arizona:
A large fire near or in the Sierra Del Carmen range in northern Mexico
was emitting a very long moderately to locally dense smoke plume which
moved northeastward into Val Verde County of southwestern Texas. Another
rather large fire just south of the Arizona-Mexico border in the Sierra
De San Antonio range was also producing a very long moderately dense to
locally dense smoke plume which moved northeastward across the AZ border
south of Tuscon into southwestern New Mexico.

Dakotas/Minnesota/Wisconsin:
Scattered fires and a few thin to moderately dense patches of smoke were
observed across this region.

California/Oregon/Washington/Idaho/Montana:
Locally dense smoke was observed from fires western Missoula and Sanders
Counties of northwestern Montana as well as Valley County of central Idaho
and Wallowa County of northeastern Oregon. Over southern California, a
fire close to the Los Angeles-San Bernardino County border was producing
a moderately dense smoke plume which initially moved in a southeasterly
direction but later in the evening began spreading easterly.

Mexico/Western Texas:
Blowing dust was observed originating from source regions mainly south
of the Mexico-New Mexico border and moving eastward across western Texas
including spots such as El Paso.

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.