DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0315Z May 14, 2021
SMOKE: Pacific Northwest… Scattered fire activity was producing a few light density smoke plumes moving in multiple directions, though general smoke direction was south and east. Central Plains… Widespread fire activity throughout the plains was producing primarily light density smoke moving mostly northward. Cloud cover prevented further analysis and obscured visibility of other possible light plumes. Northern Michigan… A fire complex at the northern tip of Michigan was producing a large amount of ligh density smoke moving east and fanning as it moved. Southwestern Mexico… An immense amount of fire activity along the western coast of Mexico was producing an extensive amount of light the medium density smoke. A layer of smoke was observed extending along much of the western coast of Mexico, the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula and nearing Central America. Smoke extended into the Pacific Ocean, but it mixed with cloud cover causing uncertainty in the full extent. South-Central Canada... South-Central Canada was producing numerous light to moderate density smoke plumes. Smoke was moving primarily north-northeast but much of the area has become cloud covered preventing further analysis. A large fire complex in particular was producing heavy density smoke that was moving primarily east and southeast. Additionally, an interesting cloud feature quickly developed over the complex, hinting a possible pyro-cumulus cloud. The full extent of the smoke’s size and density could not be discerned due to mixed cloud cover. DUST: Eastern/Central Tropical Atlantic Ocean and Southern Caribbean Sea... Earlier today light density Saharan dust was observed over parts of the Southern Caribbean Sea and over Coastal Northeastern South America. 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