DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0145Z May 19, 2014
SMOKE/DUST/AEROSOL: Southern Canada / North central US: The aerosol mix of light smoke, dust and sulfates noted in the previous discussion over south central Canada and the northern Plains of the US into the northwest Great Lakes was likely still present in the region, however increasing clouds over the area have made detection and a determination of the extent difficult. Southern California to West Texas and Western Oklahoma: A large cloud mass over the Skunk fire in southeast Arizona only allowed for sporadic glimpses of the smoke associated with the fire. However, experience from previous days, prevailing winds and smoke forecast models are highly suggestive that a plume of moderate to dense smoke was was present and extending to the east toward New Mexico. At least light density smoke likely continued to spread eastward across much of New Mexico and into west Texas and western Oklahoma. Strong winds over portions of southern California and western Nevada have generated numerous areas of blowing dust from point sources of loose soil and sand in the region. Several relatively small plumes of dust were noted in the deserts of southeast California east of the Sierra Nevada. A somewhat more extensive and thicker area of blowing dust was seen originating from the Carson Sink in western Nevada which was moving to the southeast. Another source region was noted in the desert areas around the Salton Sea in southern California. This area of dust was moving to the east and reaching into southwest Arizona. A broader area of light aerosol was moving in from the Pacific from the L.A. Basin southward. There is likely some remnant smoke from the recent fires in the San Diego area that had moved over the ocean a few days ago. There may also be some long range transport of dust mixed in. Light to moderately dense smoke from the Hunter Falls fire near Reno was seen moving to the east this evening and reaching into central Nevada by sunset. 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.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