DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0245Z April 16, 2019

SMOKE:

Central U.S...
A large number of seasonal/agricultural fires were observed across
eastern Texas, Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, western and northern Missouri,
eastern Nebraska, Iowa, and southwestern Illinois. Remnant smoke from
yesterday's fires was seen earlier today moving to the east-southeast in
a broad area stretching from southern Minnesota southeastward to eastern
Arkansas, northern Mississippi, and Tennessee. Only a few smoke plumes
of thin density were seen from afternoon imagery mainly across eastern
Kansas due to cloud coverage.

Southeastern U.S...
A relatively small number of seasonal fires were detected across
southeastern U.S. along with smoke plumes of thin density.

Central America/Gulf of Mexico ...
A very significant amount of seasonal burning was detected especially
over southern and eastern Mexico and Central America which resulted in
an extensive coverage of smoke across these areas. Mostly thin density
smoke could still be seen farther to the north and northeast across much
of the central and southern Gulf of Mexico and inland over portions of
southern Florida. Smaller thicker patches of smoke were visible with
some of the fire activities over Mexico and Central America.

YL/JS


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/data/land/fire/currenthms.jpg
GIS:    ftp://satpsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/FIRE/HMS/GIS/
KML:    http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/land/fire/fire.kml (fire)
        http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/land/fire/smoke.kml (smoke)

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.