Monday, July 16, 2012

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z July 17, 2012

Central Plains/Upper Midwest:
Remnant light smoke from the numerous wildfires in Canada remained
stationed across the central United States.  Cloud cover in area made
it difficult to determine the full extent of the smoke.

Canada:
Light-density smoke from the numerous fires in Alberta, the Northwest
Territories, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba covers the majority of the
Canada. Moderately dense smoke extends northeast through British
Colombia and continues east through northern Alberta, Saskatchewan,
Manitoba and Ontario where it becomes obscured by clouds. The heaviest
smoke is located in central Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Blowing Sand/Dust:

Southern California:

An area containing multiple plumes of blowing dust/sand was observed
in Imperial County. Plumes were sighted around 2200Z and continued
through sunset.

-LP

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.