DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0100Z October 20, 2020
SMOKE:
California/Nevada…
Wildfire activity in California, mainly along the Sierra Nevada, was
producing moderate to thick smoke this afternoon and evening. The Creek
Fire in Sierra National Forest was the most prolific smoke producer,
emanating a large PyroCB which had a plume extending over 125 miles
east-southeast to the CA/NV state line north of Death Valley. A few
fires throughout the rest of California were observed producing small
amounts of light to moderate smoke as well.
New Mexico/Texas/Oklahoma…
The Luna Fire in northern New Mexico was producing thick smoke this
afternoon and evening. The smoke was extending east-southeast across
the northern Texas Panhandle and into Oklahoma.
Southeastern CONUS…
Agricultural burning was observed from South Carolina west into
Louisiana. Much of the smoke produced by this activity was moving
west-southwest across South Carolina Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle,
west across southern Alabama, and north across Louisiana, Mississippi,
and central Alabama. Further smoke from agricultural burning was likely
across southeastern Missouri and eastern Arkansas, but cloud cover
prevented analysis of smoke in these areas.
Saskatchewan/Manitoba/North Dakota…
Agricultural burning was also noted over the northern Plains in Manitoba,
Saskatchewan, and North Dakota. The smoke from this activity was moving
mainly north by the end of the afternoon.
BLOWING DUST…
California/Nevada…
Possible blowing dust was observed moving west-southwest along the
California and Nevada border. This was making its way over Las Vegas
and Lake Mead. Some portion of this may also be remnant smoke from the
California wildfire activity.
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