DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1610Z May 01, 2015

SMOKE:
Western US:
An influx of light-density smoke is visible extending from the Pacific
Ocean as far east as Minnesota. Areas affected include California,
Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska,
and Minnesota. This remnant smoke originates from from the burning in
Siberia, China, and Korea that has been crossing the Pacific Ocean the
last few days.

Central US/Canada:
A large area of light-density smoke is visible extending from the
Canadian/US border down through the central plains and to the Gulf Coast
of Texas. Areas affected include: Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa,
Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana,
and Texas. Two other plumes are visible looming north of the border
affecting Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. All of these smoke events
originate from the remnant smoke that has been traveling across the US
that originated in Asia, as well as the contributing agricultural burns
that have been taking place across the central US and Canada recently.

AERSOLS:
Southeast US:
A plume of unknown aerosols are visible off the Atlantic coast of South
Carolina, Georgia, and Florida and making its way further SE. The plumes
are visible from sunrise to 1515Z.

Oegerle

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.