DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0245Z May 18, 2012
Northwestern US/Western Canada: High-level remnant smoke from large Siberian fires continues to make its way into the northwestern US and western Canada this afternoon. This thin-density smoke can be seen over northwest California extending northeastward into Alberta/Saskatchewan and the southern Northwest Territories. The furthest eastern extent of the smoke is unclear as cloud cover is inhibiting smoke detection through the Canadian provinces. Mexico/Southwestern US/Central US: An expansive area of thin-density smoke is visible over Sinaloa/Durango/Sonora/Chihuahua states in Mexico and extends mainly northward through New Mexico into the central US. This area of smoke is a combination of smoke from the large wildfires still burning in Arizona and western New Mexico as well as the multiple fires in Mexico. A surface analysis from earlier today indicated decent southerly flow ahead of a surface low over Colorado which likely helped pull some of the smoke northward into South Dakota/Minnesota. Arizona/New Mexico: Three large wildfires continue to burn across central Arizona today. The thinner-density smoke from these wildfires is traveling to the east-northeast into southwest Colorado. Thick-density smoke was also visible mainly from the Gladiator fire and extended to the east-northeast. Two additional wildfires remain active in western New Mexico this afternoon. The thin-to-medium density smoke from these fires extended into portions of central New Mexico. Southeastern US/Eastern US coast: An area of thin-density smoke could be seen this morning and early this afternoon along the eastern US coast. The origin of this smoke is possibly due to the Siberian fires though other contributions are possible. Smoke from these fires has likely been transported across the Canadian provinces over the past several days and became embedded along and behind a cold frontal system that moved off the east coast this morning. An additional area of thin-density smoke is visible along the Gulf coast/eastern Texas. This smoke is likely an extension of the smoke that was visible along the east coast and has now wrapped back around to the north and into western Texas. Blowing Dust: An area of blowing dust can been seen across Sonora, Mexico this evening. The dust is blowing mainly to the northeast across northwestern Mexico into south central Arizona. Some blowing dust is also visible moving to the southeast across the interior portion of central California. Another area of blowing dust is likely across northern Nevada and southern Idaho but cannot be seen due to the clouds limiting visibility in the region. A couple of surface observations do indicate blowing dust in these regions. Vogt 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