Monday, February 27, 2012

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0145Z February 28, 2012

Central US:
A large number of fires along with numerous smoke plumes were analyzed
across the region centered around Missouri and Arkansas during the
day. Significant cloudiness was spread over the South Central and
Southeastern US which greatly limited fire and smoke detection in
satellite imagery.

Southwestern US:
Several patches of thin density blowing dust were visible during the
late afternoon over portions of Arizona, southeastern California, and
northwestern Mexico. Gusty southerly and southwesterly winds ahead of
a developing storm system were responsible for the dust. Streaks of
blowing dust emanated from sources in Coconino and Navajo counties
of north central Arizona and spread into southern Utah. Other areas
of blowing dust originated from sources to the south and southwest of
Phoenix and also over northwestern Mexico. The dust over northwestern
Mexico moved into south central Arizona just before sunset. A long
swath of what is likely dust was visible extending from far western
Arizona and southeastern California southward across Baja and the Gulf
of California and over the eastern Pacific west of Baja. Some of this
dust likely originated from local sources over southeastern California
and Baja. It is also possible that some of the dust in this region may
have originated in Asia. Cloudiness across portions of the Southwest
did interfere with additional detection of aerosol/dust.

JS

Earlier this Morning...
Ohio River Valley:
A lightly-dense remnant smoke plume was seen drifting slowly eastward
across portions of the Ohio River Valley this morning. Smoke extends from
western Ohio back to the southwest across southern Indiana, western
Kentucky, southern Illinois, south-eastern Missouri, southwestern
Tennessee and over northeastern Arkansas. Area of smoke is likely
from several fires that were seen burning yesterday across portions
of Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri. Furthermore, some remnant dust
particles from the dust storm two days ago originating from western
Kansas/panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas may be getting mixed in with
this area of remnant smoke along its western edge.

Warren



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.