Friday, May 04, 2012

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0215Z May 05, 2012

Blowing Dust in the United States:
Nevada:
Two significant areas of blowing dust originated in Nevada this evening.
An area began in Mineral County around 04/2345Z and moved southeast.
The other area originated in Esmeralda County around 05/0015Z and
also moved to the southeast. The plumes of blowing dust paralleled the
NV/CA border.

Texas:
A large area of aerosol, which is all believed to be blowing dust,
began in the Texas Panhandle this evening around 04/2215Z.  The light
dust moved to the east-north-east and covered Hardeman, Foard, Cottle,
Motley, Dickens, Crosby and Lubbock Counties.

Smoke in the United States:
Central US/Gulf of Mexico:
Remnant smoke, most likely from Mexico and Central America, continues to
be seen in satellite imagery this evening.  A large area of light smoke
extending from eastern Texas to Louisiana moved northward until sunset.
Additional fires burning in Louisiana may have contributed additional
smoke.

California:
An aerosol, most likely Asian dust, was visible on imagery this evening
over California between San Francisco and Los Angeles.  Several dense
ribbons of this aerosol were also embedded within the larger area and
all areas moved to the southeast.

-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.