DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0230Z July 24, 2015
Smoke Canada/Alaska: A large area of light smoke extends from northern Nunavut, southward through majority of the Hudson Bay and into Ontario where is continues southeast towards the US/Canadian border where it becomes obscured by clouds. This area of smoke may be composed of smoke from fires in British Columbia, Alaska and Siberia. Two other areas of smoke exist, one over the Northwest Territories and another over central Saskatchewan and Manitoba that were seen earlier this morning. These areas may also be composed of smoke from different fires. The wildfires from Alaska are still producing light density smoke heading westward into the Bering sea. California: A large area of light to heavy density smoke is coming from the wildfires in the northwestern California and expanding into Nevada, Oregon and Idaho. The heavier smoke is seen in portions of northern California and southern Oregon. Dust: Central U.S: An area of haze, generally consisting of blowing dust likely transported from Africa is extending from Texas across the Mississippi Valley and the central Plains region. This area of dust is seen as far north as Minnesota. Models suggest that other aerosols might also be mixed into the areas of blowing dust. Southern California: A small area of blowing dust was seen originating from the desert of far southern California near Imperial and moving to the east northeast across the southern portion of the Salton Sea. Aerosols: Southeastern U.S: Another area of haze is seen off of the southeastern U.S. coast, generally offshore of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Models suggest this area of haze primarily consists of sulfates and possibly other aerosols. -Kemal/Heeps/Ruminski 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