DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z May 24, 2012
Blowing Dust/Sand in the United States: Dust originated in the following places this evening: Nevada: 1. eastern Nye County around 22/2315Z; dust moved southeast 2. Clark County (Las Vegas) around 22/2315Z; dust moved northeast 3. Churchill County around 22/2215Z; dust moved southeast 4. Washoe County around 22/2215Z; dust moved south over Pyramid Lake 5. Esmeralda County around 22/2345Z; dust moved southeast along NV/CA border California: 1. eastern Kern County around 22/2145Z; dust moved southeast Arizona: 1. southwestern Maricopa County around 22/2145Z; dust moved northeast to Phoenix 2. Najavo and Apache Counties around 22/2315Z; dust moved northeast to the Four Corners area New Mexico: 1. San Juan/McKinley Counties around 22/2145Z; dust moved northeast into Rio Arriba County Blowing Dust/Sand in Mexico: Dust originated in the following places this evening: Sonora: Numerous areas of blowing dust began near the Gulf of California this evening. This dust moved to the northeast and started around 22/2015Z. The dust entered the United States around 22/2315Z in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties (AZ) and extended as far north as Maricopa County (AZ) by sunset. Chihuahua: Several dust plumes began in northern Chihuahua near the New Mexico border this evening. The dust began around 22/2000Z and moved to the east-northeast over El Paso. By sunset, the dust extended as far east as Loving, Winkler, and Reeves Counties in Texas. Smoke in the United States: New Mexico/Texas: A very impressive smoke plume attached to the Baldy/Whitewater fire in New Mexico was viewed this evening. The smoke extended as far east as Austin, Texas by sunset, which is approximately 760 miles away from the source. By 23/0015Z, the leading edge of the smoke was near Blanco, Travis and Williamson Counties in central Texas. Much of southern New Mexico was blanketed under heavy smoke. Lower Mississippi River Valley: Scores of agricultural burns in Louisiana and Mississippi produced smoke plumes this evening. Most of this smoke was light and moved to the north and northeast. 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