DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1730Z April 30, 2011

Gulf of Mexico through Central Plains/Midwest US:
A large area of mostly light smoke can be seen in this morning's satellite
imagery stretching through the central and western portions of the Gulf
of Mexico. The smoke plume then extends northward through AL and into
TN and IN stretching back westward into the central and southern Plain
states. This is all remnant smoke from agricultural burns from Mexico
and Central America as well as the numerous wildfires that are continuing
to burn through southern and western Texas and northern Mexico.

Blowing Dust/Sand:

Central New Mexico:
An area of leftover blowing dust can be seen moving northward into the
central/northeastern portion of New Mexico this morning. This is most
likely remnant dust from White Sands that occurred yesterday evening.

Southern Nevada/Central and Southern California:
An elongated and thin area of possible blowing dust and/or sand can be
seen moving to wards the south into extreme southern Nevada and into
Central CA near Death Valley National Park all the way to near San Jose.

Off the Coast of Southern California:
An area of remnant blowing dust/sand can be seen making its way off the
coast near Ventura County in southern CA in this morning's imagery.

Belge


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.