Wednesday, February 3, 2016

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1900Z February 3, 2016

SMOKE
Gulf of Mexico:
Thin remnant smoke can be seen extending northeastward from Mexico along
an old frontal boundary. Fires in Mexico yesterday as well as from oil
rigs in the Bay of Campeche are responsible for this smoke. Clouds may
be obscuring some of the smoke. Additional aerosols including sulfates
may also be mixed with the smoke.

DUST
Western Gulf of Mexico:
Aerosol that is believed to be elevated dust particles can be seen over
the western Gulf just behind the clouds associated with the frontal
boundary. This dust may be the same dust that was seen over northwestern
Texas yesterday. Other aerosols such as sulfates may be mixed in with
the dust.

Southern California:
Aerosol is seen off the coast of the southern California and west of
Baja California. This aerosol is thought to be Asian dust. The dust is
being dragged southward by a weak offshore circulation.

Sheffler

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.