DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0315Z July 22, 2014
Canada/U.S: An expansive area of smoke persists over much of Canada and central/eastern portions of the U.S, a majority of which originates from wildfires across much of the Northwest Territories surrounding Great Slave and Great Bear Lakes. Light density smoke extends from the NW territories southward across Alberta and Saskatchewan, and eastward across southern Manitoba, northern Ontario, Quebec, Labrador and over the Labrador Sea. Moderate to heavy density smoke remains over much of central NW Territories, eastern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and central Manitoba. This smoke is moving southward into the U.S. and can be seen across much of central and eastern portions of the U.S. Light density smoke extends over much of the Plains region, entire Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley, Ohio Valley, the Great Lakes, cutting eastward across the central Mid-Atlantic and over the Northeast. A swath of moderately dense smoke is visible extending from north to south from the upper Great lakes through the Ohio Valley, Tennessee Valley, and over the lower Mississippi Valley. Another smaller patch of moderately dense smoke is located over Lake Superior. Heavy density smoke is embedded near the southern fringe of this massive area of smoke, over the Tennessee Valley and lower Mississippi Valley. Northwestern U.S: Wildfires continue to burn through north-central Washington, producing light to heavy density smoke currently moving northward into British Columbia. Smoke from these wildfires is visible downwind over northern Idaho, northern Montana, southern British Columbia, and southern Alberta, combining with the smoke from the Canadian wildfires. In addition to the smoke from the Washington state wildfires, long transport light to moderate density smoke from fires occurring across eastern Siberia is moving over shore from the Pacific, currently over Washington, southern British Columbia, and southern Alberta. Alaska/Gulf of Alaska/Western British Columbia: Smoke from wildfires occurring in eastern Siberia near Lake Baikal has made its way eastward, currently affecting southern Alaska, extending further southward over the Gulf of Alaska and along the coastline of British Columbia. This smoke can be seen descending southward and over the coast of northwestern U.S. DUST: Gulf Coast/Texas: Saharan dust remains throughout much of the Gulf of Mexico, appearing to make its way over the southeastern Texas coast and across much of the state. Smoke moving southward from the Canadian wildfires make it difficult to discern the full extent of the dust, though it can be seen along much of the northern Gulf near the Gulf coast. Heeps 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