DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0245Z JUNE 18, 2008
Middle Atlantic and Southeastern US: Fires continue to burn over southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina resulting in moderately dense to locally dense smoke which moved primarily in an eastward direction during the day and across the coastal regions of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina and offshore. Lingering thin smoke from these fires mixed with haze from other atmospheric pollutants was visible along and off the southeast coast from northeastern Florida to eastern North Carolina. Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley: An incredible number of what are believed to be primarily agricultural fires were detected over southeastern Missouri, eastern Arkansas, and northwestern Mississippi. Cloudiness interfered with smoke detection for a good part of the day, but some breaks in the clouds late in the afternoon revealed numerous smoke plumes moving in a southerly direction particularly from the fires in southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas. Central and South Central Canada/North Central US: A large mass of thin to moderately dense smoke detached from the ongoing fires in northern Saskatchewan Province in Canada was visible fanning out to the north and to the south-southeast. The smoke extended well up into north central Canada, likely beyond the extent of the GOES satellite coverage. It also stretched southeastward over Manitoba and western Ontario provinces to eastern North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northeastern Iowa, northern Illinois, southwestern Michigan, and northwestern Indiana. In addition, the fires appeared to flare up again this afternoon resulting in moderately dense to dense smoke which moved mainly in an eastward direction, although cloudiness interfered with smoke viewing. California/Nevada/Utah: The large fire in central Monterey County of west central California continued to burn through the day producing thick smoke which fanned out as it spread southeastward from the fire. A larger area of thin smoke extended northeastward from the fire to west central Nevada, including the Lake Tahoe region. Even farther to the east, possible detached thin smoke from this fire was visible across portions of northern Utah and southwestern Wyoming. Thin to moderately dense smoke fanned out as it moved eastward from a fire in southwestern Tehama County of north central California. Oregon: Moderately dense to locally dense smoke also fanned out as it moved to the east from a fire which flared up during the afternoon over central Klamath County of south central Oregon. Thin to moderately dense smoke moved both to the northeast and to the southeast from a fire in western Douglas County of west central Oregon. Washington/Oregon: A possible thin streak of blowing dust was visible moving to the northeast from a source region near the Columbia River along the WA/OR border near the intersection of Walla Walla, Umatilla, and Benton Counties. West Central Nevada: In addition to the thin smoke present from the California fires, some localized blowing dust was also being kicked up by gusty westerly winds from source regions in west central Nevada. JS