Wednesday July 9, 2008

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z JULY 10, 2008

California:
The very large wildfires burning across northern California (counties
of Trinity/Tehama/Siskiyou/Shasta/Butte/Placer) are producing an extreme
amount of smoke across the western US.  Very dense smoke is seen moving
east across most of northern California into most of Nevada and is
beginning to reach parts of northern Utah.  Moderately dense to dense
smoke is also moving south along the northern coast of California and
well out into the Pacific and is beginning to move into the central
coast region of California and the Pacific.  Moderately dense smoke
lies across extreme northern California and Nevada, southeast Oregon,
eastern Nevada and western Utah.  An area of light smoke is continuing
to move south across east central section of California and into
southwest Nevada...mostly residual smoke.  The wildfire (near Big Sur)
in Monterrey County is emitting very dense smoke to the south SW, but
the total distance from source cannot be determined due to low clouds
along the coast and offshore.  Residual smoke from the wildfire that
moved east yesterday contributes to the overall very smoky conditions
across central California and Nevada.

Southeast Idaho:
A fire in east Butte County (Idaho National Engineering and Environmental
Lab) is emitting a light to moderately dense plume of smoke southeast
into Bonneville, Jefferson and Bingham counties.

Colorado:
In eastern Mesa county in western Colorado (Grand Mesa National Forest)
a wildfire is producing an area of moderately dense to dense smoke
towards the southeast into the counties of Delta and Montrose.

Eastern/Central Alaska and Yukon Territory:
A couple large wildfires are burning across eastern Alaska in the
county of Yukon-Koyukuk with some small wildfires burning in the
central sections of the county/state.  The one large wildfire can be
seen producing moderately dense to dense smoke southeast across the
state into the counties of Southeast Fairbanks and Fairbanks-North
and eventually into the west central sections of the Yukon Territory.
The full view of smoke is not seen due to the large amount of cloud
cover across most of Alaska and the Yukon Territory.

Central Canada (Saskatchewan/Western Northwest Territories)
The wildfires across northern Saskatchewan (near/north of Lake Athabasca)
continue to produce a large area of mostly moderately dense to dense
smoke moving north into the western/central sections of the Northwest
Territories.  An area of light smoke is seen farther north and is most
likely residual smoke from the burning yesterday.

Wildfires north and northwest of Great Slave Lake are producing light
to moderately dense smoke moving north across the western sections of
the Northwest Territories.

Hawaii:
A possible smoke plume mixed with the volcanic steam/fog (VOG) was
visible moving to the west and off the south coast of the
Big Island. This possible smoke was believed to be due to lava flows
encountering and burning vegetation. The VOG was very prominent and
extended well off to the west of the island and then northwest to north
well of the islands.
From earlier today:

New England:
Residue haze and smoke covers coastal New England.  This area can still
be seen, but is very light.

Upper Midwest and western Great Lakes:
Light residue smoke and haze covers portion of the Dakotas, Minnesota,
and Wisconsin. This area of smoke and haze is no longer seen.

J Kibler





 


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.