Sunday, August 30, 2015

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0245Z August 31, 2015

SMOKE:
Pacific Northwest/Central Canada/Central US:
An expansive area of light to moderate density smoke was seen throughout
the Pacific Northwest and Central Canada spanning from central California
through Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Alberta and into Saskatchewan.
This area of smoke originated from wildfires in the Pacific Northwest
and Siberian wildfires that emitted smoke that traveled across the
Pacific. Embedded within this large area of smoke was a wildfire in
central California near the Arrowhead Springs Area which was producing
heavy density smoke traveling eastward. Wildfires continue to burn in
northwestern Montana although clouds mostly obscure hotspots in Infrared
Satellite imagery throughout the Pacific Northwest. Another large area of
light to heavy density remnant smoke was seen stretching from the central
US into southern Manitoba and Ontario. It was difficult to determine
the full extent of this smoke over the Eastern US due to cloud coverage.

-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

 


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.