DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0800Z July 09, 2010
Eastern US: A large area of thick aerosol continues to cover much of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley, and Southeast ahead of a front draped across Michigan, Illinois and into Texas this evening. Smoke contribution to this area of aerosol is not believed to be significant. Gulf of Mexico: Area of what is likely Saharan dust and other aerosols could be seen throughout the day over the western Gulf and into Louisiana and Texas in the wake of Tropical Depression Two. Western US/Southwestern Canada: A very large region of aerosols of unknown origin and composition were visible early this evening just prior to sunset across the northwestern US northward into southwestern Canada. Central Canada: Some light to moderate smoke can still be seen over Central Ontario and into Minnesota, Wisconsin, and extreme eastern North and South Dakota behind the front. The smoke, which was believed to be leftover from the fires mainly in northern Saskatchewan Province, has shifted slightly to the east throughout the day. Very dense smoke erupted this afternoon and spread southeastward from a number of significant fires concentrated across northern Saskatchewan Province. British Columbia: A large fire in Northern British Columbia continues to produce moderate to dense smoke that extends in all directions, but the bulk of the smoke still extends to the south and east. Another smaller fire is producing smoke in the central portion of the province that is beginning to extend eastward. Alaska: Fires in the northwester portion of Alaska were emitting locally dense smoke which was concentrated closer to the fires but also slowly drifting to the north. Liddick/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.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