DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0303Z June 12, 2020
SMOKE:
Arizona/New Mexico…
A number of fire complexes were producing smoke covering almost the
entirety of the states. Smoke plumes were heavy density near the
source and thinned to lighter density as they spread far and wide
across the states. Smoke plumes had shifted to moving towards the west
and southwest later in the day. Meanwhile, a fire complex at the far
northern border of Arizona was producing a very large and very heavy
plume of smoke moving due north into Utah.
Southern California/Baja Peninsula…
Wildfire activity spread throughout southern California and into the
northern portion of the Baja Peninsula was producing predominantly light
density smoke from just north of Ventura County extending south beyond
San Diego and into Baja. A concentrated complex of fires at the border
along the coastline was producing an exceptionally dense plume of smoke,
lending itself to a more medium or heavy density.
Southern Plains…
Widespread fire activity in the southern plains was producing primarily
light density smoke moving westward in portions of eastern Texas and
Louisiana. North Texas and Oklahoma were also dotted with fire activity
producing light density smoke moving to the north. Meanwhile, a fire
in central Texas was producing a plume of medium to heavy density smoke
moving westward.
EARLIER TODAY...
SMOKE:
Arizona/New Mexico...
Continued wildfire activity throughout the Desert Southwest was observed
emitting varying density smoke. The most intense smoke is emanating from
two fires along the southern end of the Mogollon Rim. Smoke was moving
mainly north from the fires, but remnant smoke from previous day’s
emissions was moving northeast to east across northeastern Arizona and
northern New Mexico. Cloud cover obscured the visibility for some of
the states this evening, therefore it is plausible that additional smoke
exists in the region.
Southern California/Baja...
Scattered wildfire activity from eastern Ventura County into northern
Baja California was observed producing moderate smoke this morning. The
main source of smoke is the activity in northern Baja California. The
smoke emanating from the fire activity was mainly moving west. However,
remnant smoke from the past few days was observed moving north across
the southern San Joaquin Valley and Death Valley.
Central California…
A wildfire along the western slopes of the central part of the Sierra
Nevada range was producing moderate to heavy smoke. The smoke was moving
off towards the north earlier this morning, but a slight wind shift
started moving the smoke more north-northwesterly late this morning.
Alaska…
A couple fires in central Alaska were observed producing light smoke
moving off toward the northeast. Wildfire activity continues over the
far southwestern part of Alaska in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife
Refuge. However, cloud cover is obscuring the region and impedes the
analysis of smoke.
Southern Plains…
Fires throughout the southern plains were observed producing light smoke
plumes that were moving clockwise around a high pressure center over
northwestern Arkansas.
Levine
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