Monday, October 17, 2016

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z October 18, 2016

SMOKE:
Colorado/Arizona/Utah/Kansas:
A significant light to moderate density smoke plume originating from the
Junkins fire west of Pueblo, Colorado was seen spanning from south-central
Colorado into far east Kansas.  It was difficult to discern the full
extent of this smoke because of cloud coverage. Another light to moderate
density smoke plume was seen emanating near Flagstaff, Arizona and was
moving eastward. Finally a light density smoke plume was seen in-between
cloud coverage in southwest Utah moving eastward.

DUST:
Colorado/Nebraska:
An area of blowing dust was noted across northeast Colorado and
western/central Nebraska in association with a cold frontal passage.
Two dust plumes were seen in northeast Colorado traveling to the southeast
then south.

California:
A small area of blowing sand/dust originating just west of the Salton
Sea in southern California was seen traveling east.

Alaska:
Blowing dust was seen being picked up across west central Alaska and
was traveling west. Cloud coverage made it difficult to determine the
full extent of the blowing dust.

-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.