DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0230Z May 21, 2008
Gulf of Mexico/Florida: An area of haze extends from the Bay of Campeche northeastward across the south central Gulf of Mexico and the central portion of the Florida peninsula to the northern Bahamas. This region of haze is believed to be mainly smoke from the large number of seasonal fires continuing to burn across portions of southeastern Mexico and Central America. The smoke becomes at least moderately dense farther to the south in the Bay of Campeche and over the Yucatan Peninsula. Dense smoke resides even farther to the southeast of there over the northeastern portion of Central America. Smoke from the fires located on the western shore of Lake Okeechobee was seen in early imagery but was later obscured by weather clouds. During the time the smoke could be seen it was tracked to the east across Martin and Palm Beach counties and offshore. Georgia: A large fire located in eastern Brantley county produced dense to moderately dense smoke which extended over 250km through Glynn county and into the Atlantic. A smaller fire located in Long county emitted light to moderately dense smoke which traveled to the northeast and into the Atlantic. Mississippi: In southwestern Franklin county, a fire emanated light to moderately dense smoke which traveled over 150 km to the east reaching western Wayne county. Southern Louisiana/Eastern Texas: There are several smaller fires located in this area which produced light smoke which traveled to the east. The majority of the fires in Texas are located near and south of the Sam Rayburn Reservoir. The majority of the fires in Louisiana are located around Vernon and Beauregard parishes. Texas: Dense to moderately dense smoke is being produced from a fire located in southern Crockett county. The smoke is moving up to its northern border and south to the Mexican border in Terrell county. North Dakota/South central Canada/Minnesota: There are several small fires producing light to moderately dense smoke which is traveling to the south. Eastern Manitoba/Minnesota: A thin ribbon of smoke of unknown origin, possibly from fires located in Russia, can be seen in the last few visible images of the day extending, north-south, the whole length of Manitoba and into Minnesota. Minnesota: A large fire which was located in northwest Polk county produced dense to moderately dense smoke which extended over 250 km to the south reaching Pope county. Arizona: Graham county was the location of a large fire which emitted dense to moderately dense smoke which covered most of the southern extent of the county and reached as far east as northern Hidalgo county NM. Nevada: Smoke from a fire located in southern Lyon county was dense to moderately dense and extended NE into Eureka county. California: Several small fires located mainly in Fresno county produced light to dense smoke which could be seen moving toward the southeast. Pacific Northwest: An area of light to moderately dense smoke extended from northern California, north of San Fransisco Bay, into central Oregon and Washington. The origin is uncertain but could possibly be from massive fires burning in Russia. Salemi/Ruminski/JS