Monday, May 2, 2022

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0001Z May 3, 2022

SMOKE:
Southwestern U.S...
The Hermits Peak, Calf Canyon, and Cerro Pelado wildfires in northern New
Mexico continued to emit significant smoke this evening with moderate
to thick density plumes visible spreading generally to the east. The
smoke from the Hermits Peak Fire was the most widespread as moderate to
thick density smoke reached as far east as the Oklahoma panhandle, and
far northwestern Texas. Thinner density smoke likely extended farther
to the east but widespread thunderstorm cloudiness covered portions of
Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri preventing detection through
satellite imagery of any smoke which might be present there. Farther to
the southwest in west central New Mexico, a couple of wildfires including
the Water Fire continued producing thin density smoke plumes which moved
to the east.

Central, Eastern, and Southeastern U.S/Atlantic Ocean off the Mid-Atlantic
Coast…
As stated above, cloudiness over a portion of the central U.S. continued
prevented detection of smoke through satellite imagery which might still
be present in that region. Outside of the cloudiness, mainly thinner
density smoke was visible extending from the Middle Mississippi Valley
eastward to the Mid-Atlantic region and extending farther to the east
and offshore to and beyond the area over the Atlantic. The smoke also
appeared to be over most of the southeastern U.S. with the exception
of Florida due to heavy cloud coverage. The larger mass of thin density
smoke was believed to be from a combination of the New Mexico wildfires
and some recent seasonal fire activity scattered over the central, south
central, and southeastern U.S. It is also possible that smoke from the
ongoing widespread seasonal fire activity in Mexico may also be present
especially in the southern part of the area closer to the Gulf Coast.

Texas/Louisiana/Mexico/Central America/Western Gulf of Mexico/Pacific
Ocean South of Mexico and Central America...
A large mass of predominantly stagnant light smoke from seasonal fire
activity and a few wildfires in Mexico and Central America was observed
covering southern and southeastern Texas and Louisiana, the western Gulf
of Mexico including the Bay of Campeche to the south, central, eastern,
and southern Mexico, and northwestern Central America. The smoke also
extended south of the southern coast of Mexico and Central America over
the Pacific.

Rodriguez


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

 


Unless otherwise indicated:
  • Areas of smoke are analyzed using GOES-EAST and GOES-WEST Visible satellite imagery.
  • Only a general description of areas of smoke or significant smoke plumes will be analyzed.
  • A quantitative assessment of the density/amount of particulate or the vertical distribution is not included.
  • Widespread cloudiness may prevent the detection of smoke even from significant fires.