DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1800Z July 7, 2020
SMOKE:
Nevada…
A wildfire in Nevada, possibly a re-invigoration of the Monarch Fire,
was observed producing moderate to thick density smoke this morning. This
smoke was infiltrating the valleys east and southeast of the fire. Smoke
making it above the valleys was moving mainly east after having presumably
moved northeast overnight given where the plume is. Of note here is the
possible to likely presence of lofted or blowing dust that is also moving
with the observed smoke. A significant amount of blowing dust was noted a
little further west in the analysis last evening, and some enhancements
in optical depth are noted downwind of a couple dry lake beds. There
may also be some blowing dust mixing in with the smoke southeast of the
parent fire.
New Mexico…
The Cub fire in southwestern New Mexico continues to produce smoke this
morning and early afternoon. The moderate density smoke was somewhat
stagnant early this morning, but began to move south by around 1400Z.
Washington State…
A fire in the Saddle Mountains of Washington state was continuing to
produce light smoke this morning. The plume extended northeast to just
across the Idaho state line and just into British Columbia.
UNKNOWN AEROSOL:
Central Plains/Midwest/Great Lakes/NE CONUS…
A large area of aerosol of unknown origin and composition was observed
NE/KS/OK eastward into PA and NY. A front and cyclone draped over the
northern Great Lakes and Iowa, respectively, are shunting the northern
portions of this area of aerosol towards the south and east. Another
cyclone over the Appalachians is forcing this area of aerosol north out
of VA and southern WV. There is some possibility that at least some
of this aerosol may be composed of leftover smoke from the fires in
the Southwestern U.S. and possibly Saharan dust though that cannot be
confirmed from satellite imagery.
BLOWING DUST:
Northern Nevada/Southern Idaho/Northwestern Utah…
As mentioned previously in the smoke section, what is likely a mixture
of smoke from the fire south of Carson City, remnant blowing dust from
yesterday afternoon, and active blowing dust from some of the dry lake
beds and desert throughout Nevada was present blanketing much of Nevada,
southern Idaho, and far northwestern Utah.
Gulf of Mexico/Mexico/Central America/Caribbean Sea/Tropical and Eastern
Atlantic…
A thin layer of Saharan dust was observed extending from the western
Caribbean across the Yucatan into the western Gulf of Mexico, far eastern
Mexico, far southern Texas, and southern Louisiana. Another surge of
more dense Saharan dust continues to emerge from North Africa extending
westward across the Atlantic and over the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico,
and Hispaniola. This leading edge continues to move westward.
Hosley
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