DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1600Z April 20, 2024
SMOKE: Florida... Several individual plumes of Light to Moderate smoke from agricultural burns was observed originating from the North and South of lake Okeechobee. Cuba... An area of Light smoke was observed emanating from Northwestern Cuba, blowing Northwards into the Gulf of Mexico. An additional area of Light to Moderate smoke was seen emanating from Southeastern Cuba, blowing into the Caribbean Sea. AEROSOL/SMOKE: Central-Southern Mexico/Gulf of Mexico/Yucatan Peninsula/Central America/Cuba/Hispaniola/Pacific Ocean... A large area of predominantly light to moderate smoke attributed to widespread seasonal fire activity throughout central-southern Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula, Central America and northern South America was observed today over southern Mexico, Cuba, Hispaniola, the Gulf of Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean off the southern coastline of Mexico, and east over the northern Caribbean Sea. Moderate smoke was visible over the Yucatan Peninsula and Central America. Aerosols from a composite of volcanic emissions and industrial sources in Mexico contributed to the expansive area of aerosol/smoke seen in these regions today. Cardona 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