Monday, October 3, 2011

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0500Z October 4, 2011


Nevada/Idaho/Western Montana:
A very large wildfire near the Eureka County/Elko County border
in northern Nevada is producing very heavy smoke in the northward
direction. Thick to moderate density smoke reaches as far north as western
Montana while thin density remnants extend into southern British Columbia
and southern Alberta.

Lower Mississippi Valley:
Several ag burns located in eastern Arkansas, southeast Missouri,
much of Louisiana, and much of Alabama are producing localized thin
to moderate density smoke plumes. The fires are most concentrated in
eastern Arkansas, which is entirely covered by thin, detached areas of
smoke. Smoke is being emitted mainly to the south.

Texas:
Thick black smoke from a chemical plant fire near Waxahachie, TX is
visible on satellite imagery starting at 1600Z, becoming detached by
2000Z and mostly dissipating by 2200Z.  Waxahachie is approximately 30
miles south of Dallas.

Montana/Saskatchewan/North Dakota/Wyoming:
From Earlier... Remnant smoke, which is believed to be from the Eden
Valley and Izzenhood wildfires in Nevada, is visible on satellite
imagery covering much of eastern Montana and southern Saskatchewan.
As the sun rose this morning, remnant smoke was viewed near Yellowstone
Park in WY.   It is likely this smoke is from wildfires burning south
of the park. Through this evening... This remnant smoke area traveled to
the northeast and embedded patches of moderate density smoke in central
Montana were additionally observed.

Ramirez/Myrga


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.