Thursday, May 1, 2008

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0115Z May 2, 2008

New Mexico/Texas:
A massive fire in eastern Pecos county Texas has moved rapidly and
produced a large plume of dense to very dense smoke that is moving east
and has reached the Colorado river in San Saba county by sunset. A fire in
northern Otero county New Mexico south of Ruidoso has a plume of moderate
to dense smoke moving to the east and has reached the Texas border. The
fire in Torrance County, New Mexico, less intense today than yesterday
and has a plume of mainly light smoke that extends from the fire eastward
and then northeast into the north central Texas Panhandle.  There are
also extensive areas of blowing dust seen across much of southern New
Mexico and far west Texas extending to the east and northeast across the
Midland area and into the Red River Valley between Childress and Wichita
Falls. A fire in northern Chihuahua state in Mexico has a plume of light
smoke extending to the east and nearly reaching Presidio county Texas.

Florida:
Several fires in Florida were producing plumes of smoke that were all
moving to the west-northwest. One fire was in the Canaveral National
Seashore near Titusville and its plume extended across southern Volusia
and into southern Marion county. Another fire in southern Gilchrist
near Tyler has a plume extending into Jefferson county. This plume was
moderately dense to locally dense close to the source.  Another blaze in
western Hernando county had a plume extending into the Gulf of Mexico
almost reaching Franklin county. A fire was also seen on Abaco Island
in the Bahamas with a smoke plume extending to the east.

Georgia/Alabama/South Carolina:
Several fires in this region had plumes that were mainly moving to the
north. One plume over northwest Alabama in northern Cleburne county had a
plume of locally moderately dense to dense smoke that quickly lifted north
and dissipated. Another plume in Richmond county Georgia extended to the
north and was mainly light. A fire in Chesterfield county South Carolina
lifted north and then fanned out to the east as well before dissipating.

California:
Two fires in Plumas county on the east side of the Sierras had plumes
of locally moderate to dense smoke. The smoke was only slowly swirling
in the area close to the fire and mostly confined to Plumas county.

A fire in northwest San Diego county had a plume of faint smoke that
extended to the northeast into western Riverside.

Saskatchewan:
Numerous agricultural fires were seen across the province, several of
which were producing relatively short lived puffs of smoke. These plumes
were all moving to the southwest.

Ruminski









 


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.