Sunday, April 25, 2010

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0055Z April 26, 2010

Smoke:
Bay of Campeche/Yucatan Peninsula:
Numerous agricultural fires across S Vera Cruz, Tabasco and the Yucatan
states of Mexico are producing moderate to dense smoke that is covering
all of the Bay of Campeche and Yucatan Peninsula.  The smoke is being
pulled toward the NE ahead of a frontal boundary the bisects the Gulf
of Mexico from NE Florida to Vera Cruz.  Most of the NE Gulf near FL is
obscured by weather clouds but it is easy to see the smoke being pulled
into it.

Dust/Sand:

Behind the aforementioned frontal zone, a few arcs of suspended dust
and sand from likely sources over New Mexico and West Texas yesterday
are seen with low/thin density.  One arc extends from N Tamulipas across
toward the mouth of the Mississippi River.  The second band (which was
mentioned in this afternoon's smoke text product) is seen in a similar
arc shape (bowed with center/nose bulging toward the SE) extends from
Vermillion Bay (central LA) back to Corpus Christi, TX.

Gallina

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


 


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.