DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0215Z April 5, 2012
Upper Mississippi Valley/Northern Plains/South-central Canada: Numerous fires and smoke plumes were visible across Minnesota, North Dakota and south-central Manitoba this afternoon. Most of the smoke plumes were of thin density and were moving to the north or northwest. Mid-Atlantic Coast: Remnant thin-density smoke was observed in Satellite imagery moving to the east off of the Mid-Atlantic coast. The origin of the smoke cannot precisely be determined but it is possible that it is remnant smoke from fires burning over the central and southeastern US over the past several days. Western Gulf of Mexico/Southeastern Texas: A large area of thin-density smoke could be seen across southeast Texas and the western Gulf of Mexico. It is believed that this smoke is due to ongoing seasonal fires in Mexico/Central America. Idaho: An area of thin-density blowing dust emanating from a point source in Butte county was observed this evening moving to the northeast. The dust reached as far as West Yellowstone close to the western Wyoming border. Vogt Earlier this morning... Nevada: An area of light blowing dust originated in Churchill County, NV this morning near the Humboldt Salt Marsh. The blowing dust moved to the northeast through Lander and Eureka Counties and entered western Elko County by 1645Z. Gulf of Mexico: An area of remnant smoke, most likely from the agricultural fires in Mexico and Central America, remains in the western Gulf of Mexico. 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