Monday, August 15, 2011

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0300Z August 16, 2011

Ontario/northern Great Lakes Region:
Large fires in western Manitoba, relatively close to the Ontario border
were emitting locally dense smoke during the day which moved mainly
in a northerly direction close to the actual fires. Thinner smoke from
these fires spread to the east and southeast as well, covering much of
southern Ontario and grazing the northern Great Lakes region as well.

Mid Atlantic coast:
The Lateral West fire in the Great Dismal Swamp along the border of
Virginia and North Carolina continues to burn and is producing an
elongated area of smoke which moved in an east to northeast direction
during the day. The plume appeared to be dense closer to the fire but
gradually thinned out as it moved over the western Atlantic.

Idaho/Wyoming/Nevada/Utah:
Several fires scattered across southwestern and southeastern Idaho, and
northeastern Nevada were producing significant smoke which fanned out and
moved in multiple directions during the afternoon. By early evening,
thin smoke covered a large area including much of southern Idaho,
western Wyoming, northeastern Nevada, and northern Utah. Moderately
dense to dense smoke was present primarily over southern Idaho.

JS/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.