Monday, August 12, 2013

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0300Z August 13, 2013

Smoke:
Southern Canada/Northern Plains:
Two large areas of medium to light density smoke are visible making their
way south from the Canadian border into the US this evening. Originating
from Alberta and Saskatchewan earlier today, the smoke has made its way
SE into the US covering Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,
Wisconsin, and Iowa. The smoke originates from the wildfires burning in
northern Canada. It is also possible that this smoke is mixing with the
smoke moving eastward from the wildfires taking place in the Pacific NW
and northern California.

Pacific NW/California:
A large area of light to medium density smoke is visible extending from
northern California to eastern Montana where it is most concentrated. The
smoke originates from the several wildfires burning in California,
Washington, and Idaho.

Alaska/Canada:
A very large area of light to medium density smoke extends from Alaska to
the Hudson Bay. Due to the wildfires in Alaska and Canada, very little
of the country is not currently concentrated with smoke. The only areas
that seem to be clear of smoke is SW British Columbia and Quebec.

Oegerle



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.