Wednesday, July 11, 2012

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1745Z July 11, 2012

Northern and Central Canada:
Multiple large wildfires continue to burn across northern Alberta and
northern Manitoba this morning. Remnant smoke from these fires extend from
the Northwest Territories southeastward into Ontario. The thin-density
smoke has the furthest extension, while medium-to-thick density smoke
is present across northern Alberta/Saskatchewan moving mainly eastward
behind a low pressure system and associated cold front. Clouds associated
with the low pressure system hindered detection of the full extent of
the smoke in this area.

Pacific Northwest/Central US/into Ohio Valley:
Wildfires burning across the Pacific NW/Idaho continue to emit large
amounts of smoke today. An area of medium density smoke is present from
southeast Oregon/Idaho into northern Wyoming, and traveling eastward
over the surface ridge. Elsewhere, thin-density smoke is present but is
also likely mixed in with some sulfates due to high pressure dominating
most of the US.

-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

 


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.