Wednesday, December 20, 2017

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1730Z December 20, 2017

SMOKE:
No significant areas of remnant smoke were visible in satellite imagery
this morning. The only smoke visible this morning was emanating from
the ongoing burn in Kaibab National Forest in north-central Arizona and
from the fire activity just south of Lake Okeechobee. The smoke in both
regions was seen moving off to the northeast. Cloud cover across much
of the southeastern CONUS, aside from Florida, has obscured analysis of
smoke across the southeastern CONUS.

DUST:
Northwestern Utah...
Dust was seen streaming across the desert/salt flats west of the Great
Salt Lake in northern Utah. Two distinct streams were observed: one
from an area just north of Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge and
another from the northern portions of the Deep Creek Range near the
Nevada Border. The dust was moving off to the north and northwest into
northwestern Utah.

Colorado River Delta...
More blowing dust was observed streaming north-northwestward from the
westernmost portions of the Colorado River Delta in northeastern Baja
California.

Southwest Nevada...
More blowing dust was observed being kicked up from the Fish Lake Valley
east-southeast of Mono Lake. The dust was traveling southward towards
Piper Peak.


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.