Sunday, March 12, 2023

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0010Z March 13, 2023

SMOKE/AEROSOL:
South Central and Southeastern U.S./Atlantic Ocean off the
Southeastern U.S. Coast/Gulf of Mexico/Central and Western Caribbean
Sea/Hispaniola/Jamaica/Cuba/Southern, Central, and Eastern Mexico/Central
America/Pacific Ocean Well South of Mexico and Central America…
A large area of predominantly light density smoke originating from a
combination of seasonal fire activity and a multiple wildfires in Mexico,
Central America, Cuba, and portions of the south central and southeastern
U.S. along with aerosols from industrial activity primarily from Mexico,
Central America, and Cuba was seen again this afternoon over the same
general area which has been impacted for the past several days. The
smoke/aerosol mix was noted over much of the Gulf of Mexico including
the south central and southeastern U.S. coastlines, extending over
Florida and further east over the Atlantic, in addition to the central
and western part of the Caribbean Sea, including Cuba, Hispaniola,
Jamaica, and continuing to the south and west over the Yucatan Peninsula,
central-southern Mexico, and Central America, and the Pacific Ocean off
southern Mexico and Central America.

Widespread fire activity was particularly noticeable across Cuba resulting
in an area of higher smoke concentration along the island’s northern
coastline where the smoke was being pushed to. Aerosol accumulation was
also visible over the western Gulf of Mexico due to stagnant winds.

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

 


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.