Saturday, April 28, 2012

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1500Z April 28, 2012

Smoke:

Western Gulf of Mexico and East Texas:
Light remnant smoke in this area is likely but has become diffuse and
mixed with some clouds in the area is difficult to discern in early
morning visible imagery. It is likely that the smoke will become better
defined in later in the afternoon and evening when more favorable sun
viewing angles will prevail.

West Texas/Northern Mexico:
An active fire in Jeff Davis county in west Texas had a plume of light
to moderately dense smoke this morning that was drifting to the southeast
near Marfa . Another fire in central Coahuila state in northern Mexico was
generating a plume of mostly light smoke extending to the north. Remnant
light smoke detached from its source was also noted along the Rio Grande
in the vicinity of Laredo.

Uncertain aerosol:
Lake Superior to New York:
An elongated swath of aerosol was seen this morning from the northern
and eastern shore of Lake Superior and extending to the southeast
across Ontario and along the Ontario/Quebec border into northern New
York. This is likely long range transport from Asia but the composition
is uncertain. The Naval Research Lab aerosol forecast model suggests
this is dust, while a NASA model is suggesting smoke.

Ruminski


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.