DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0025Z March 29, 2020
SMOKE:
Southeastern US…
Numerous fires were observed across the region including clusters of
agricultural burning south of Lake Okeechobee (southern Florida) and
over parts of the Florida panhandle, along with large concentration of
short-duration fires in southwestern and central Georgia, and scattered
burning activity across the Carolinas. A large fire in Liberty County in
northern Florida was emitting heavy-density smoke towards the northeast
and across the border with Georgia. Several light-density smoke plumes
were visible across southwestern Georgia with a general dispersion
towards the northeast.
Cuba…
Widespread fire activity dominated the entire island throughout the
afternoon and early evening hours. Large quantities of smoke could be seen
spreading over the western portion of the island including medium-density
plumes along the western shoreline. Another large area of smoke extended
northwestward over the central Gulf of Mexico reaching the coastlines
of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
Mexico/Western Gulf of Mexico…
Very high fire activity was also observed across central Mexico and the
Yucatan Peninsula. The resulting smoke was being transported towards the
northwest-north covering a large swath of the coastal areas from western
Yucatan all the way to the border with Texas, and extending over much of
western and central Gulf of Mexico. Pockets of higher smoke concentration
were visible specially across the northwestern Yucatan Peninsula and
the state of Veracruz.
Honduras…
Large number of fires were seen across the entire region. Smoke plumes
along the eastern shore were being transported towards the west, and
mostly stagnant elsewhere. Light-to-moderate density smoke covered the
northern half of the country.
Dust…
Blowing dust was visible across central Texas and central Nebraska with
each band covering an area of approximately 250 miles long and 75 miles
across. The suspended dust was being transported towards the east.
WS
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