DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0145Z APRIL 28, 2008
Western Canada/Central and East Central US: Earlier Today in GOES-West satellite imagery: More possible smoke of thin density, likely from the large Russian fires which have been ongoing for the past week or so, was visible in morning GOES-West satellite imagery spreading southeastward from the western Canadian provinces of The Northwest Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to the south central and east central US. In the US, the smoke covered a large region from eastern Montana and the Dakotas southward to eastern New Mexico, northern Texas, and Oklahoma. The smoke also extended eastward over Minnesota and Iowa to at least as far east as the Great Lakes region and the Ohio Valley. Some possible additional smoke was visible in cloud free areas extending from the Ohio Valley to the interior Northeast and southeastern Canada. However, this area is only visible using GOES-East imagery and the optical sun viewing angle is not favorable for detecting atmospheric pollutants in the morning using GOES-East imagery. Currently in GOES-East satellite imagery: Thin density smoke continues to move southward across the central US moving into eastern/southern New Mexico and beginning to reach sections of southern Texas. The smoke seen earlier this morning moving across parts of the Great Lakes region, interior Northeast and southeastern Canada cannot be seen due to cloud cover. An area of thin density residual smoke is visible in GOES-East satellite imagery this evening moving southward across the eastern Pacific and Baja pensiula/coast, but just off the California coast. Southern California: The thin smoke observed over Los Angeles County (near the town of Sierra Madre) this morning associated with the wildfire can no longer be seen due to cloud cover. Arizona: The wildfire in Greenlee county (near the town of Alpine/Apache SitGreaves National Forest) is producing only a light plume of thin density smoke moving west into Graham and Apache counties. Southern Colorado: In northern La Plata county in the San Juan National Forest a wildfire is producing light to moderately dense smoke moving south into San Juan and Rio Arriba counties in New Mexico. Montana: Multiple fires burning in the counties of Teton and Cascade (just west of Great Falls) are producing light smoke moving east into Chouteau county. Oklahoma: A fire in south central Ellis county, northeast Beckham county are producing light puffs of smoke moving rapidly south across Oklahoma. Another fire on the border of Dewey and Woodward counties is also producing light smoke moving south. J Kibler