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