DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0500Z March 5, 2013
Eastern Gulf of Mexico/Southeast US: Two patches of thin smoke were observed in the eastern Gulf of Mexico this evening, one just west of Florida and another near and northwest of the western end of Cuba. Fires in both the state of Florida and ag fires in Cuba are believed to be the causes of this smoke. In addition, an extortionate amount of smoke producing ag fires were observed in the Southeast US today. Western Gulf of Mexico: A large area of smoke streaming northward from ag fires in the Yucatan Peninsula and the Bay of Campeche area was seen over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. There were also several plumes of blowing dust seen over and just south of the Brownsville, TX area. This elevated dust mixed with smoke over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico/south Texas. West and Northwest Texas/Southern New Mexico/Northern Mexico: An extensive blowing dust event was underway across far northern Mexico, southern New Mexico, and west Texas as strong winds crossed the region. West Coast: A large area of aerosol could be seen approaching the West Coast of the US ahead of the next storm system. This is believed to be elevated dust and other aerosol from Asia. Sheffler 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