DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0100Z May 15, 2014
Currently: Central Canada/Northern and Central Plains: Numerous fires are burning across central/southern Saskatchewan and parts of western Manitoba with most fires producing light to moderately dense smoke. The smoke is combining with the extensive plume of aerosols seen earlier today and now moving SSE across southern Canada (Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba), eastern Montana/Wyoming, most of the Dakotas, western Minnesota, and as far south as Nebraska. The source of this aerosol or possible dust is not confirmed, but could be from Asia as mentioned before. Southern California/Baja California: Numerous large wildfires burning across sections of northern Baja and southern California are producing plumes of moderate to dense smoke and combining with blowing dust/sand moving west off the coast and well into the Pacific Ocean. J Kibler Earlier Today Central Canada/Northern Plains: An extensive plume of aerosols is seen in early visible satellite imagery from GOES-West stretching from northeastern Alberta and northern Saskatchewan southeast over eastern Montana, majority of North Dakota, South Dakota and southern Minnesota. The vast majority of this this is unknown per satellite analysis, however portions of this plume that extends across southern Saskatchewan, Montana and the Dakotas may have some remnant smoke entrained from smoke producing fires analyzed yesterday across southern Saskatchewan province. It may also be possible that dust from Asia may have been transported across the Pacific and is being detected from satellite coming up and over the ridge of high pressure that is positioned across the eastern Pacific Ocean. Pacific Ocean (offshore of southern California): Two distinct aerosol plumes were observed offshore of southern California and Baja of California moving southwest. The southern and larger plume is believed to be comprised of both smoke and dust. The smoke from this plume originated primarily from a wildfire that continues to burn across northwestern Baja of California. Dust was kicked up yesterday across southern California and Baja of California and has since mixed with the smoke. The second, smaller plume is believed to be remnant smoke from a fire that was burning in Santa Barbara county yesterday. Warren 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