DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 00121Z April 18, 2024
SMOKE: Central United States/Northeastern United States.. A large area of mostly light density smoke attributed seasonal fires in the Central U.S. was seen around the borders of Kansas and Nebraska reaching as far south as northern Texas and as far north as western Iowa. Heavy burning in eastern Kansas created some smaller areas of moderate density smoke. Heavy cloud cover over the northeastern U.S., southeastern U.S. and Canada precluded further smoke analysis in the area. Florida... Agricultural burning were noted throughout Florida releasing mostly light density smoke that was observed moving generally northwest. Two fires were noted in central Florida releasing moderate density smoke today. Arizona... Two possible wildfires in northwestern and central Arizona were releasing light smoke that was observed moving generally northeast remaining in the respective state as evening approached. AEROSOL/SMOKE: Central-Southern Mexico/Central America/Yucatan Peninsula/Gulf of Mexico/Jamaica/Cuba/Caribbean Sea/Pacific Ocean... Ongoing widespread seasonal fire activity throughout central-southern Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, Central America and northern South America contributed to a large mass of light density smoke with areas of moderate smoke and aerosols were observed over central-southern Mexico, northern Central America, the majority of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean off the southwest coastline of Mexico. Aerosols from a composite of gas flaring activity in the Bay of Campeche contributed to the expansive area of aerosol/smoke. 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