DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0245Z May 23, 2012
Blowing Dust in the United States: Nevada: Numerous areas of blowing dust/sand originated in Nevada this evening. Areas of dust began in Churchill, Pershing and Humboldt Counties around 22/2045Z. The dense area of dust from Churchill County reached the Nevada/Utah border by sunset. Dust also started in Esmeralda and Mineral Counties, around 22/2215Z and 22/2345Z respectively. These plumes moved generally to the east and south east along the Nevada/California border. California: An area of blowing dust/sand originating in Lassen County around 22/2145Z moved eastward into Nevada through Washoe and Pershing Counties (NV) this evening. East of Bakersfield in Kern County, dust started around 22/2245Z and moved to the east. Arizona: In southwestern Maricopa County, west of the town of Gila Bend, blowing dust/sand began around 23/0015Z and moved to the northeast. Cascades/Rocky Mountains: An aloft aerosol, which is believed to be dust, was viewed at sunset over northern Wyoming, southern Idaho, northern Nevada, southern Oregon and northern California. Smoke in the United States: Upper Peninsula of Michigan: Before the weather clouds moved in from the west, smoke was viewed originating from the wildfires in Delta County, MI and the Seney Wildlife Refuge. Lower Mississippi River Valley: Many fires were viewed in satellite imagery this evening in Louisiana and Mississippi along the Mississippi River. Light smoke from these fires 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