DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z May 12, 2015

SMOKE:
Western Canada/Central Canada:
A large area of light density smoke is visible across western and
central Canada extending from The NW Territories to western Ontario.
Elevated trans-Pacific remnant smoke from Asia can be seen throughout
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Northwest
Territories. However, there is a considerable amount of smoke originating
from the wildfires taking place in British Columbia and Alberta as well
that continues to swirl clockwise towards the NW, but some continues to
stream south towards the border.

Central US:
A large area of remnant smoke is visible in satellite imagery this morning
moving SE from the Canadian/US border. Areas affected by smoke include
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska,
Iowa, and Missouri. This smoke originates from the mix of Asian smoke
that has been traveling through Canada as well as the wildfires that
have been occurring in British Columbia and Alberta.

AEROSOLS;
Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico/Eastern U.S:
A large area of aerosols are visible in the Caribbean, US southeast,
along the eastern US coastline and into the Gulf of Mexico.  The primary
composition of this aerosol is believed to be Saharan dust coming up
from the Caribbean, which Tropical depression Ana helped to disperse
north from Florida to New York.

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.