Monday, March 10, 2008

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0230Z March 11, 2008

An incredible number of fires along with numerous smoke plumes were
detected in the south central region (including Kansas, Missouri,
and Oklahoma) and the southeastern states (including northern Florida,
Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina).

Kansas/Missouri/Oklahoma:
Among the most noteworthy fires/smoke plumes analyzed in Kansas include
a southward moving moderately dense smoke plume originating from a fire
in Butler County of southeastern Kansas. Farther to the west, a couple
of moderately dense puffs of smoke emanated from a fire in Gray County
of southwestern Kansas and moved to the southeast. In Missouri, most of
the plumes were of the relatively small and thin density variety. A rather
small but moderately dense plume was observed moving mainly in a southerly
direction from a fire in Camden County of west central Missouri. Across
Oklahoma, plenty of smoke producing fires were detected. A large thin
smoke plume fanned out as it moved southward from a fire in Osage County
of north central Oklahoma. Thin to moderately dense plumes were visible
moving to the south from fires in Carter and Jefferson Counties of south
central Oklahoma as well as southern Cleveland County of central Oklahoma,
and Okmulgee County of east central Oklahoma.

Northern Florida/Alabama/Georgia/South Carolina:
Thin to moderately dense smoke originating from a fire in Okaloosa
County of the western Florida panhandle moved northward into southern
Alabama and combined with smoke from other fires nearby to form a somewhat
larger patch. The same situation existed farther to the east with thin to
moderately dense smoke from fires in Jefferson County of northern Florida
moving northward into southern Georgia and combining with smoke from
other nearby fires. Over Alabama, several fires combined to form a batch
of mainly thin but locally moderately dense smoke across the east central
portion of the state. Moderately dense to locally dense smoke was visible
moving to the east from a fire in Chilton County of central Alabama. A bit
farther to the east, moderately dense to locally dense smoke originated
from fires in Talladega and Calhoun Counties of northeastern Alabama and
moved eastward into northwestern Georgia. Over the remainder of Georgia,
primarily thin smoke plumes were observed in visible imagery. Moderately
dense plumes were detected moving to the northeast from fires near the
Burke-Richmond County border of east central Georgia and Bryan County of
southeastern Georgia. In both cases, these areas of smoke moved across
the border into portions of South Carolina. Elsewhere, all of the smoke
plumes analyzed over South Carolina were of the thin density variety
and were moving in a northerly or northeasterly direction.

Hawaii:
The usual possible smoke plume mixed with volcanic steam/fog (VOG)
emanating from the Kilauea Volcano lava flows was partly visible through
the clouds moving to the west-southwest along the southern coast of the
Big Island of Hawaii.

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.