DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0145Z July 22, 2009
British Columbia/Northwest US: A fire in the southern region of British Columbia is generating moderately dense to dense smoke. The smoke is traveling east and becoming light smoke as it enters northeastern Washington State, northern Idaho and western Montana. Another area of haze is located in central Idaho. This is likely remnant smoke from the previous days fire in northern California. Northeastern Canada: A large area of haze extends from the eastern Hudson Strait, through the northern Ungava Bay and into the Labrador Sea. The area could be from the wildfires in Alaska which have been burning for several days. Alaska: An area of dense smoke remains in northern Alaska as well as smaller areas of moderately dense smoke in central Alaska. The smoke from the fires in central Alaska is currently moving to the northwest. Gulf of Mexico/Southeastern US: Sand/Dust from the Sahara can be seen traversing the Atlantic and the Caribbean resulting in a haze effecting the southern and western portions of the Gulf of Mexico. An area of smoke/haze of unknown origin can be seen traveling south through South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and into the northern Gulf of Mexico. -Salemi More information on the areas of smoke described above as well as others can be found at the locations listed below. 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