DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1645Z May 11, 2015

SMOKE:
Western Canada/Pacific Northwest:
Two large plumes of light-density smoke is visible this morning swirling
clockwise towards the NW towards Yukon. Smoke is visible affecting the
NW Territories, British Columbia, and Alberta. This smoke originates
from the few dense wildfire events taking place in north-central British
Columbia, as well as some foreign remnant smoke from Asia.

Central Canada/US:
A large area of aerosols is visible in satellite imagery extending
from Southern Canada across the border into Montana, North Dakota,
and Wyoming. The band of aerosols can be seen moving to the south from
Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. It is suspected that aerosol is
elevated remnant smoke originating from Asia as well as light density
smoke originating from the few wildfire events in north-central British
Columbia.

Western Gulf of Mexico:
A large area of light-density smoke was visible this morning ranging
from the Western shore of Mexico making its way north towards the Gulf
coast of Texas. This smoke originates from the agricultural burns that
have been continuing there for several weeks.

AEROSOLS:
Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico/Eastern U.S:
A large area of Saharan dust is seen stretching across much of the
Caribbean Sea and northwestward into most of the Gulf of Mexico as well
as over southern Florida. This Saharan dust appears to also be mixing
with a large area of smoke focused in the western Gulf of Mexico,
originating from fires occurring in Mexico. The dust has also seemed
to have been transported up along the eastern seaboard likely due to
Tropical Depression Ana, and dust is seen as far north along the coast
as the Mid-Atlantic coast, specifically up to New Jersey.

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.