DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0156Z February 28, 2024
SMOKE: Central U.S./Eastern U.S./Southeastern Canada… An area of thin density smoke with areas of moderate density smoke attributed ongoing wildfires in Texas and Nebraska and recent heavy seasonal fire activity was noted from from the Texas panhandle moving northeast continuing north through the Midwest U.S., to the Great Lakes region and southeast through the eastern United States, southeastern Canada, and over the Atlantic Ocean south of Newfoundland. The smoke also seen south around all of Florida and its surrounding areas. Moderate smoke was prevalent over the far southeastern United States (Florida and Georgia) wile the remainder of the eastern United States remained heavily cloud covered later this afternoon. Texas Panhandle... Wildfires and brush fires in the northern Texas Panhandle are emitting light to possible moderately dense smoke moving east northeast into northeastern Oklahoma. Cloud cover has obscured most of the smoke later this afternoon. AEROSOL/SMOKE… Southern/Central/Eastern Mexico/Gulf of Mexico/Central America/Pacific Ocean… Light to some pockets of moderate density aerosol from a combination of smoke due to agricultural burning, volcanic ash and industrial sources was noted over the western Gulf of Mexico, southern/central/eastern Mexico, the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern Mexico and northwestern Central America. Pockets of higher density smoke can be seen off the coast of Guatemala and southwestern Mexico coast from heavy burning. Eglin 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