Saturday, May 10, 2014

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0130Z May 11, 2014

Smoke:
Texas/Louisiana:
A large area of light smoke extends through the Gulf of Mexico and into
southeastern Texas and Louisiana.  This is likely remnant smoke from
numerous agricultural burns in Central America.

Blowing Dust:
California/Nevada:
Numerous areas of blowing dust originate in southern California with the
dust moving to the east.  The Inyo Mountains Wilderness Resort, the Grass
Valley Wilderness Area and the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are some
of the more significant areas of origin for this blowing dust. There
was also an area of blowing dust sweeping southward  through southern
Nevada behind a strong frontal boundary.

New Mexico:
An area of blowing dust originates in Chaves County and is moving to
the northeast.

Texas:
Blowing dust appears to originate in the Brownfield/Lubbock area of
northwestern Texas.  This blowing dust is moving to the northeast.

Aerosols:
A large area of unknown composition is located off the coast of southern
California.  The area is moving to the south and may contain blowing
dust from southern California.


Earlier:
SMOKE
Western Gulf of Mexico:
An area of light smoke from the seasonal agricultural fires in Mexico
and Central America was seen extending from Honduras into the Bay of
Campeche, reaching as far north as 24N.

BLOWING DUST
Nebraska:
A small past of light dust was seen moving eastward across Nebraska
this morning.

Great Lakes Region:
An area of light to moderately thick dust was visible this morning
extending from northern Minnesota southeastward through the remainder of
the Great Lakes. This dust was wrapping around the low pressure system
currently moving through Ontario/Quebec. Aerosol forecast models suggest
that this is dust from Asia which has tracked across the Pacific and
most of Canada.

Vogt Miller

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.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/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.