Tuesday, August 7, 2012

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1745Z August 07, 2012

Most of the US:
A large area of thin-density smoke was visible this morning in satellite
imagery. The smoke stretched across the majority of the US extending
from Washington/Oregon eastward through the Great Lakes/Quebec, Canada
and southward across Texas. Medium-density was also present over a
portion of Washington/Oregon, southern Idaho, and all of Wyoming. This
thin-to-medium density smoke is caused by the numerous wildfires located
across the Idaho/Nevada region that continue to emit immense amounts of
smoke. Detection of the full extent/coverage of the smoke was inhibited
by some clouds.

Northwest Territories/Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba:
An area of thin-density smoke could be seen across the south-central
Canadian provinces this morning traveling eastward. A wide swath of
medium-density smoke was also present wrapping into the surface low across
the Northwest Territories/northern Alberta/northern Saskatchewan. This
entire area of remnant smoke is likely due to the wildfires that continue
to burn in the area. However, a portion of the smoke could also be
attributed to Siberian smoke.

-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.