Tuesday, April 16, 2013

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0145Z April 17, 2013

UPDATE: For additional blowing dust

Gulf of Mexico:
Remnant thin density smoke covers much of the central Gulf of Mexico. This
smoke likely originated from numerous fires in Mexico, including several
on the Yucatan Peninsula. The days-old detached smoke is circulating
and re-circulating in the Gulf as a result of the large scale flow,
with new smoke entering the mix daily.

Blowing Dust/Sand:
Four Corners (UT, AZ, NM, CO):
Very dense blowing sand/dust is observed swiftly moving NE through 0145Z
(local sunset) in the vicinity of the four corners region. Dust/sand is
mainly originating from 2 areas: 1) The desert area located approx 30mi
NE of Flagstaff, AZ and 2) The desert area extending 10 to 75mi north
of Gallup, NM. Collectively, a broad area of sand/dust is seen sweeping
from NE Arizona through the far SE corner of UT , NW corner of New Mexico,
and much of the western half of Colorado this evening. Heavy cloud cover
is preventing detection beyond that, though it is likely that the dust
edge extends further.

An area of light blowing dust was also detected over portions of south
central New Mexico and far west Texas. The sources of the dust were
the dry plains of northern Chihuahua extending into the El Paso area
and up into the White Sands region of south central New Mexico. The
dust began around 20Z and extended until sunset and was moving to the
east-northeast. A separate, small area of light blowing dust was also
seen over northeast New Mexico in the Raton area. This began around 20Z
and the dust was lifting to the north into south central Colorado.

Ramirez/Ruminski

THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS
OF 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.