DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1745Z March 16, 2024
SMOKE: No significant areas of smoke or blowing dust were seen on satellite imagery this morning due to extensive cloud cover over the CONUS. AEROSOL/SMOKE: Gulf of Mexico/Bay of Campeche/Yucatan Peninsula/Pacific Ocean south of Mexico/Central America... A large area of light to moderate smoke originating from widespread fire activity in Central America and northern South America, mixed with aerosols from a composite of volcanic emissions and industrial sources in Mexico was observed over a significant portion of the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Campeche, where it was then seen extending northeast towards the Gulf Coast. This composite of smoke and aerosol was also seen covering areas of Central America and the Pacific ocean off the coast of southern Mexico and Central America this morning. YL 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