DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1700Z August 21, 2019
SMOKE: Southern Alaska/Gulf of Alaska... The latest GOES17 West Visible Imagery observed several large complex fires burning across portions of Southern Alaska. A large complex fire South of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula was observed with moderate to heavy density smoke in the vicinity of the fire and light density smoke further from the fire. The smoke from this fire complex is progressing eastward towards the city of Anchorage and southward over the Gulf of Alaska this morning. Southwestern U.S... The latest GOES Visible imagery observed several large complex fires in the Grand Canyon region in Northwestern Arizona as well as several smaller complex fires in Southern/Central Utah, Western Colorado, Central Arizona, and Northern New Mexico. A large region of light to moderate density smoke was observed over Central/Eastern Colorado as well as Eastern Utah. A large region of moderate to heavy density smoke was observed over Northwestern Arizona and in Southwestern Utah. The smoke from the large complex fire activity in Northwestern Arizona is progressing Northwestward this morning. Southern Canada/Northern Plains/Upper Midwest/Ohio River Valley... A large region of light density smoke was observed over most of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Southern Ontario Province. Light density smoke was also observed portions of the Northern Plains over Eastern North Dakota as well as in the Upper Midwest and Northern Great Lakes region. Moderate density smoke was observed as well in portions of the region. Light to moderate density smoke was also observed over portions of Central/Southern Ohio River Valley progressing southeastward this morning. Dust: A region of Saharan dust was observed south of Hispaniola over the Central and Southeastern Caribbean Sea this morning. The dust is progressing westward towards Jamaica today. Sambucci 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