DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0010Z February 20, 2023
SMOKE: Cuba... Widespread fire activity was observed across the island of Cuba this afternoon with predominantly light density smoke spreading to the west along the southern and western coastline and extending for approximately 100 miles over the Caribbean Sea. SMOKE/AEROSOL: Pacific Ocean off the western Mexico and Central America Coastline/Bay of Campeche... An area of light smoke from scattered fire activity along southwestern Mexico mixed in with aerosols from industrial activity was seen occurring along the western coast of Mexico and Central America, extending westward over the Pacific ocean for approximately 600 miles. Another patch of light smoke originating from gas flaring activity in the Bay of Campeche was seen spreading northwestward over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. WS 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