DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0230Z AUGUST 15, 2008
California/Western US: Earlier this afternoon, several fires began producing moderately dense to dense smoke in the northwestern regions of California, advancing to the north and northwest. However, clouds started moving in from the west and obscured some of the smoke. Also, residual light smoke from last evening's fires is now situated over western Oregon, however, the narrow plume of SO2 is mixing in with the smoke in that area. In addition, the SO2 plume is currently paralleling the Pacific coastline from British Columbia south to Oregon, and then heads more easterly through northeastern California, central Nevada, and southern Utah. Idaho: A few fires popped up earlier this evening producing moderately dense smoke plumes in Elmore and Valley counties in the central part of the state. These plumes are heading off to the south. Lighter smoke plumes are found in Idaho and Lewis counties, and these plumes are generally moving off to the southwest. Washington State: A moderately dense smoke plume in western Chelan County is currently moving to the northwest into eastern Snohomish County. Nevada: A moderately dense smoke plume earlier this evening was heading off to the southeast, however, light smoke only remains from it as the plume moves off into far eastern Elko County. Canada/Northern Plains: Residual light smoke situated over southern Manitoba and southern Saskatchewan is being circulated around a low pressure system over eastern Montana. In addition, a few fires that could be seen through the cloud cover this evening were producing moderately dense to dense smoke. These plumes were moving off to the northeast over northern Manitoba, just to the east of Reindeer Lake. RCE