Sunday, July 3, 2011

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0300Z July 4, 2011

Southern States/Lower Mississippi River Valley/Central Plains:
A large area of light density remnant smoke is present over much of the
southern US from about 36 degrees N latitude southward.  This smoke is
likely days old and has recirculated around several pressure systems. As
a result, its origin could possibly be the wildfires in northern Canada,
New Mexico, and/or the Southeast US.

Canada:
Remnant smoke from several wildfires in and immediately around the
northeastern corner of Alberta continues to wrap around an area of low
pressure centered over Hudson Bay. The moderately dense to dense smoke
is observed locally and initially moves to the northeast. The smoke
then detaches from its source and is pulled southwest as a light density
remnant over northern Manitoba, central Ontario, and western Quebec. Also
contributing are 2 large wildfires in western Ontario that are producing
locally very dense smoke. The light density smoke is visible as far
south as the northern boundary of Lake Superior.

Southeastern US/Mid Atlantic:
The Honey Prairie wildfire in the Okefenokee Swamp, GA is responsible
for much of the light to moderately dense smoke over much of Georgia
this evening. The smoke is emitted to the west and is also being pushed
southwest over the Florida Panhandle.
Locally dense remnant smoke is originating from the Juniper Road fire in
Pender County, NC and the Simmons Road fire in Bladen County, NC this
evening. Smoke from the former is pushing offshore into the western
Atlantic and smoke from the latter is moving both north and south away
from the source in NC.

Louisiana coast/eastern Texas coast/Gulf of Mexico:
Wildfires burning in Cameron Parish, LA are producing moderately dense
to dense smoke that is predominantly moving south into the Gulf of
Mexico. Some remnant moderately dense smoke is observed in far southeast
Texas. Much of the northern Gulf of Mexico is covered with light density
remnant smoke from fires in the southeast US and southern Louisiana

**DUST**
An aerosol of unknown composition, which could possibly be Saharan
dust is present in the western Gulf of Mexico off the southern Texas
coast. This dust is likely mixed with remnant smoke from wildfires in
the southeast US.

Ramirez


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.