DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1800Z February 15, 2024
SMOKE: Southeast US/Atlantic Ocean (off NC Carolina Coast)... Wide-scale seasonal burning was detected this morning and early afternoon over the southeastern US from Alabama east into Georgia and north into North Carolina and south into Florida, with the majority located within Florida and Georgia. An area of light residual smoke was seen off the North Carolina coast and most likely from fires burning yesterday across the mid Mississippi Valley and Central Plains. AEROSOL/SMOKE: Southern/Western Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean... A combination of light smoke and aerosols were seen over the southwest coast of Mexico and northwestern Central America and extended into the eastern Pacific Ocean. The source of the smoke/aerosol is due to seasonal fires and urban pollution from Mexico and Central America. JK 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