DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z September 29, 2012
PLEASE NOTE – GOES-13 has been replaced with GOES-14. GOES-14 is centered at 00N105W which is 30 degrees further west than GOES-13. This position has an impact on the ability to detect smoke, particularly light smoke in the evening, compared to GOES-13. It is possible that areas of light smoke that would have been detected previously are now not discernible. Great Lakes: The area of light remnant smoke from the western fires over the Great Lakes noted earlier today has diminished and is now only detected over the lower Great Lakes into northern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania. Montana/Idaho/western Dakotas: The area of smoke from the fires in Idaho and western Montana that was visible in evening satellite imagery was mainly confined to northern Idaho and western Montana with a small ribbon of light remnant smoke oriented north/south across the western Dakotas. The areas of medium density smoke were mainly confined to areas near the active fires. It should be noted that clouds covered much of the active fire areas in Idaho and Washington this evening which is inhibiting smoke detection. Northern Canada: Light to moderately dense remnant smoke from fires continuing to burn in northwest Alberta, northeast British Columbia and southwest Northwest Territories was detected over southeast Northwest Territories and southern Nunavut reaching the western coast of Hudson Bay. Ruminski Previous discussion: Pacific NW: A smaller area of remnant smoke mixed with some new smoke can be seen moving eastward today through north/central Washington and south/central British Columbia. This is from the numerous wildfires that have continued to burn through central Washington. Northwest Territories/Northern Manitoba: An elongated plume of light to moderately dense smoke was seen today moving east/northeast through southern Northwest Territories and into extreme northern Manitoba. All of this is likely from the many fires still burning throughout portions of northern British Columbia and Alberta as well as through southern Yukon and Northwest Territories. Central California: A small area of light, remnant smoke is moving northward across central California and is likely from the couple of fires burning in southern California. Central US/Great Lakes/Southeast Canada: Light to moderately dense smoke could be seen extending from central Montana through the northern Plains and into the Great Lakes and southern Ontario/Quebec region today. This rather large area of smoke continues to be a product of the numerous wildfires burning through Washington, Idaho, and Montana. -Belge 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