DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1630Z October 3, 2009
Southern Plains: Patches of thin smoke possibly with some light haze mixed in were present over parts of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas this morning. The remnant smoke is believed to mostly be from agricultural fires in the region; especially since smoke that was being produced by fires in southwest Kansas and the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma yesterday was drifting to the east/southeast. Central Plains to Northern Rockies/Southern Canada: A thin band of haze was seen stretching from Kansas and southwest Missouri northwestward along the an old frontal boundary to east and central Montana, and southwest Alberta. Another separate area of unknown aerosols/haze was seen in an open hole within thick clouds over northern/central Saskatchewan behind the remnant front. These aerosols were moving slowly to the west. Western Gulf of Mexico/Southern Texas: An area of thin smoke and haze was still seen this morning hanging over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. This was causing hazy conditions over deep southern Texas and along the northern coast of Mexico. This smoke may have come from oil rigs in the Bay of Campeche or possibly from fires in Mexico. Arizona: A small area of thin remnant smoke could be seen this morning along the southwestern edge of the mountains in central Arizona, between the cities of Prescott and Phoenix. Likely this smoke was left over from several fires that were burning around the state yesterday. -Sheffler 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.osdpd.noaa.gov/ml/land/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