DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z May 15, 2015
SMOKE: Western Canada/Central Canada/Northern Plains: Light density remnant smoke continues to be widespread throughout western and central Canada. Thin residual smoke from wildfires in western Canada and elevated residual trans-Pacific smoke from Asia can be seen in southeastern Yukon, the Northwest Territories, British Columbia, northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and eastern Montana. Within this area of light density remnant smoke, heavy density smoke can be seen moving to the southwest from a significant wildfire southwest of Prince George that was ignited May 9th. GOES-13/GOES-15 satellites continue to show a strong infrared signal in relation to this wildfire. Less impressive wildfires continue to persist in northern British Columbia producing light density smoke plumes that are moving to the northwest. A wildfire with a moderate density smoke plume was observed along the Alberta/Saskatchewan border moving north. Western Gulf of Mexico: A large area of light density residual smoke mixed with Saharan dust can be seen spanning from the Bay of Campeche to the Texas coastline. This area of residual smoke was moving to the northwest and originated from numerous agricultural/prescribed burns in Central America and oil exploration in the Bay of Campeche. -Cronin 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