DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1700Z March 9, 2022
SMOKE: Western and Central Cuba… A batch of thin density smoke attributed to seasonal fire activity in western and central Cuba was seen this morning moving to the west over western and central Cuba and along the Caribbean just offshore of southern Cuba. SMOKE/AEROSOL: Southeastern Gulf of Mexico/Western and Southwestern Florida/Northwestern Cuba… A patch of leftover thin density smoke from seasonal burning in Cuba likely mixed with aerosols from industrial sources in Cuba was visible spreading to the north and northeast over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and over west central and southwestern Florida. Gulf of Mexico/Bay of Campeche/Southern and Eastern Mexico/Central America/Pacific Ocean Well South of Mexico and Central America… A large mass of remnant thin to moderate density smoke mixed with aerosols from oil and gas flaring and other industrial sources in Mexico was visible this morning over portions of the central Gulf of Mexico, most of the Bay of Campeche, southern and eastern Mexico, northwestern Central America, and extending well to the south over the Pacific Ocean off the southern coast of Mexico and Central America. Moderately dense smoke/aerosol mixture was seen especially along and off the coast of southeastern Mexico and Guatemala over the Pacific and from southeastern Mexico to over the Bay of Campeche. The smoke over this large area was due to the widespread seasonal burning in Mexico and Central America. Extensive cloud cover over far southern and southeastern Texas, part of eastern Mexico, the western and northern Gulf of Mexico, and inland over the Southeastern U.S. prevented detection of any smoke which may be present there from satellite imagery. DUST: Area from Texas to the Great Lakes Region… A broad swath of what is believed to be leftover thin density blowing dust was visible this morning stretching from southern lower Michigan and Lake Michigan to the southwest across the Middle Mississippi Valley and Central Plains to central and southern Texas where it becomes obscured by cloud cover. This dust was likely kicked up by stronger winds yesterday over portions of the south central and southwestern U.S. and far north central Mexico. JS 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 map: https://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/land/fire/currenthms.jpg Smoke data: https://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/FIRE/web/HMS/Smoke_Polygons Fire data: https://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/FIRE/web/HMS/Fire_Points ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS PRODUCT SHOULD BE SENT TO: SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov