Friday, December 15, 2017

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0100Z December 16, 2017

SMOKE:
Southern California/Northeast Pacific Ocean...
The wildfires activity throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties was
seen continuing to emit thick smoke this afternoon. A wind shift at around
1900Z is the cause for the thick smoke observed primarily over Ventura
and Los Angeles Counties, while some moderate smoke was observed over
100 miles off shore and moving off to the southeast. The extent of the
remnant smoke spans much of the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Yesterday's
smoke that was present southwest of California has now moved north due to
a cyclone north of Hawaii. The northward extent is about Graham Island
off the British Columbia coast. Some of the northern portions of this
plume may also have marine aerosol incorporated among the smoke. Much
of this smoke is moving around a high pressure center a couple hundred
miles off the southern Oregon coast.

South Dakota/Nebraska...
Through cloud cover, the smoke plume associated with the Legion Lake
Fire in the Black Hills of the South Dakota. The smoke plume was seen
moving off toward the southeast.

Central CONUS...
From Missouri to Texas, a handful of thin smoke plumes were observed
this afternoon. Many of these smoke plumes were moving off toward the
east or southeast.

Southern Florida...
Fire activity south of Lake Okeechobee was seen producing minor amounts
of light smoke this afternoon. Another fire in or around the Avon Park
Air Force Range in south-central Florida was also seen producing a smoke
plume. All smoke plumes were observed moving off toward the east.

DUST:
Central Baja California...
A thin area of dust was seen southwest from central Baja California
offshore about 200 miles into the Pacific Ocean. Another region of
blowing dust was seen moving over the central Gulf of California off of
the central coast of the Mexican state of Sonora.

Caribbean Sea...
A layer of thin to moderately dense Saharan Dust was observed moving
eastward over the Caribbean Sea.

UNKNOWN AEROSOL:
South of Greenland to off the North Carolina coast...
An area of aerosol extending from south of Greenland to just off the
North Carolina coast was observed throughout the day. The aerosol in
question could be a mix of smoke, sulfate, and marine aerosols

Hosley


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.