DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0230Z May 19, 2008

Florida and the Northern Bahamas:
The large ongoing fires just west of Lake Okeechobee in southeastern
Glades County and in west central Miami-Dade County continue to emit
large moderately dense to locally dense smoke plumes which moved in an
easterly direction and well off the coast of Florida across the northern
Bahamas.  The Glades County fire had a particularly dense looking smoke
plume in satellite imagery during the afternoon which moved across Lake
Okeechobee and to the coast between Fort Pierce and West Palm Beach.
Smoke from the Miami-Dade County fire moved right over the Miami metro
area during the afternoon and early evening.

Farther to the east, several fires continue to burn in Great Abaco Island
of the northern Bahamas resulting in large smoke plumes which moved to
the east-northeast over the Atlantic.

Gulf of Mexico:
An elongated area of haze extending northeastward from the Bay of Campeche
to the east central portion of the Gulf of Mexico just off the western
Florida coast was believed to be mainly smoke transported from the
ongoing seasonal fires burning across parts of Mexico and Central America.

Southeastern Texas/Southern Louisiana/Western Gulf of Mexico:
Some haze of unknown composition and origin was visible moving to the
east along and off the southeastern Texas and southern Louisiana coastal
region and over the western Gulf of Mexico.

Northeastern Oregon/Northern Idaho/Western Montana:
A fire in northeastern Wallowa County of northeastern Oregon produced a
moderately dense smoke plume which spread eastward into north central
Idaho.  Moderately dense to locally dense smoke was visible moving to
the east from a fire in north central Lemhi County of east central Idaho.
The smoke moved into southwestern Montana during the late afternoon and
early evening.

British Columbia/Alberta:
Fires in northern British Columbia and central Alberta Provinces of
western Canada were emitting smoke plumes which were moving generally
in a southeastward direction.  The largest smoke plume was associated
with a fire in central Alberta Province.

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.