Wednesday, June 8, 2011

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0300Z June 09, 2011

Northern Mexico/Central and Eastern U.S.:
Smoke exists over much of the eastern two thirds of the contiguous
U.S. this evening predominantly from the two large wildfires in eastern
Arizona (Wallow and Horseshoe 2) and the wildfires in southeastern
Colorado. The thickest smoke over the U.S. stretched from New
Mexico/Colorado and Oklahoma/Kansas to the Lake Michigan region with
thin to moderate density smoke reaching as far northeast as Quebec and
as far east as the Atlantic Ocean off of New England. In addition, thin
smoke was seen streaming northeast from Mexico into New Mexico/west Texas.

Southeastern U.S.:

A moderately dense smoke ribbon resulting from the Prarie wildfire in
south Florida extends and expands west into the Gulf of Mexico and then
northward into southern Louisiana. More localized smoke is present in
the southeastern U.S. from many agricultural burns in the mid and lower
Mississippi valley as well as in North and South Carolina.

Western Canada/North Central U.S.:
Smoke from the massive wildfires in northeast Alberta were again producing
dense smoke today. Remnant smoke from these fires over the past few
days was drifting southeast across Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba into
parts of Montana/North Dakota. A very thin layer of smoke could be seen
drifting eastward across northeast British Columbia/north Alberta/southern
Northwest Territories/northern Hudson Bay. This smoke may be from the
fires in Alberta or could be from fires in Alaska.

Alaska:
A thin patch of smoke was seen over northeast Alaska this morning,
likely from the fires in the east-central part of the state. Clouds
prevented additional smoke detection this afternoon.

Sheffler/Ramirez/Simko


THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT
AREAS SMOKE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES AND SMOKE WHICH HAS BECOME
DETACHED FROM THE FIRES AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SOURCE
FIRE..TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST
ARE ALSO DESCRIBED. USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VIEW A GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF
THESE AND OTHER PLUMES WHICH ARE LESS EXTENSIVE AND STILL ATTACHED TO
THE SOURCE FIRE 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
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS PRODUCT 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.