Wednesday, August 1, 2007

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0130 UTC August 2, 2007

Idaho, Montana, Alberta, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Nebraska,
Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario:
The large, persistent and numerous fires primarily in central Idaho
and western Montana are producing a very large swath of smoke that
extends from the fires toward the east.  The smoke currently covers
much of Idaho, most of Montana, the southwestern corner of Alberta,
the northeastern corner of Wyoming, southern North Dakota, all of
South Dakota, the north-central part of Nebraska, central and southern
Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, Lake Superior, and areas of Ontario
near Lake Superior.  The smoke is densest near the fires but also has
moderate to dense bands scattered throughout the entire length of the
plume. Smoke is moving primarily eastward.

Northern Minnesota:
A fire in northern Lake of the Wood County is producing a light
to moderate smoke plume that extends southeastward paralleling the
U.S./Canadian border (but the smoke is currently on the U.S. side of
the border).

Midwest, mid-Atlantic, western New England, southeastern Ontario and
southeastern Quebec:
An area of light smoke mixed with haze covers most of Michigan, Indiana
and Ohio and possibly northern Kentucky, and extends eastward into West
Virginia, Virginia and southern Maryland, and also extends northward in a
swath that covers western and northern New York and neighboring parts of
Ontario as well as northern Vermont, northern New Hampshire and northern
Maine and neighboring parts of Quebec, including Montreal.  The smoke is
believed to be a residual from previous days fires in Idaho and Montana.

Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri,
A quasi-stationary area of light smoke mixed with haze covers northern
Mississippi, northeastern Louisiana, most of Arkansas, and southeastern
Missouri. This smoke is also thought to be a residual from previous days
fires in Idaho and Montana.

California:
The persistent fire in Santa Barbara County is producing a moderate to
dense smoke plume that extends both northward (into San Luis Obispo)
as well as southward to the ocean.  A fire in western Siskiyou County
is producing a smoke plume that extends southward; the plume is mostly
light, but moderate or dense smoke occurs near the fire.  A related area
of light smoke just off the coast of northern California was produced
by smoke originally from the Siskiyou County fire.

British Columbia:
Fires in southeastern British Columbia are producing light to moderate
smoke that extends northward.  In most cases the smoke that can be seen
in satellite imagery remains within about 75 km of the fires and the
smoke does not extend outside British Columbia.

Oregon:
A fire in western Jefferson County is producing a moderate smoke plume
that extends northeastward.  A fire in Deschutes County is producing a
light to moderate plume that extends southward.

Washington:
In Grant County a fire is producing a small light to moderate plume that
extends slightly in all direcitions from the fire.




 


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.