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