DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1715Z April 24, 2012

Central US/Midwest:
The latest air quality and smoke forecast over the US shows an area of
thin, remnant smoke from the numerous fires burning recently across the
northern Plains  through the eastern most central and southern Plains into
the Midwest area seen at: http://airquality.weather.gov/sectors/conus.php

Using GOES-W imagery from this morning to utilize the optimal viewing
angle to be able to detect smoke, it was hard to visualize if there was
indeed any remnant smoke across the central part of the US. This is mostly
because this area is on the very edge of the GOES-W imagery and therefore,
if there is any thin smoke in this region it can not be seen at this time.


Belge


THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS
OF 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 DEPECTION
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.html
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.