DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z APRIL 23, 2009

New Mexico/Texas:
The detached smoke seen earlier this morning moving eastward across
eastern New Mexico and western Texas was no longer discernible in
satellite imagery this afternoon. Farther to the south, a band of blowing
dust was observed emanating from coastal southern Texas and moving to
the northwest across Alice, TX.

Central Plains:
Once again, numerous fires were scattered across the Central Plains
during the day, with the most concentrated area of fires centered over
east central Kansas. Many smoke plumes were visible which combined into
a larger mass of thin to moderately dense smoke which moved to the north
and into southeastern Nebraska.

California/Nevada/Oregon:
Gusty southwesterly winds blowing across dry lake beds in south central
Oregon, northeastern California, and western Nevada kicked up significant
streaks of blowing dust/sand which spread as far as 150-200 miles to the
east-northeast from their source points. The most significant blowing
dust was observed over the northern third of Nevada as well as southern
and southeastern Oregon. A few smoke plumes were also visible emanating
from fires in south central Oregon and northeastern California which
combined with the blowing dust/sand.

JS


THE FORMAT OF THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS BEING MODIFIED. IT WILL NO LONGER
DESCRIBE THE VARIOUS PLUMES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES. THESE
PLUMES ARE DEPICTED IN VARIOUS GRAPHIC FORMATS ON OUR WEB SITE:

JPEG:   http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/FIRE/hms.html
GIS:    http://www.firedetect.noaa.gov/viewer.htm
KML:    http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/FIRE/kml.html

THIS TEXT PRODUCT WILL CONTINUE TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF SMOKE
WHICH HAVE BECOME DETACHED FROM AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE
SOURCE FIRE, TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. IT WILL ALSO
STILL INCLUDE DESCRIPTIONS OF BLOWING DUST.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THESE CHANGES OR THE SMOKE TEXT
PRODUCT IN GENERAL SHOULD BE SENT TO SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov

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.