Sunday, May 19, 2024

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1550Z May 19, 2024

SMOKE:
Canada and the North Atlantic Ocean….
Numerous wildfires located throughout portions of Canada from the
western Northwest Territories and northeast British Columbia to the
central regions of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba continued to
burn despite being concealed by persistent cloud cover throughout the
day. Due to the large amount of ongoing wildfires and recently developed
ones throughout these areas, a large area of smoke ranging from light to
localized moderate density covered a majority of Canada, extending from
the the Yukon and northeast British Columbia across much of Canada and
regions near the North Pole and then across much of the North Atlantic
Ocean to just off the coast of western Europe. A narrow portion of this
smoke was also extending south along coastal British Columbia and into
the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

Central United States...
An area of light density smoke was seen over portions of the Upper Midwest
of the United States where it merged with the Canadian smoke and was also
extending southwest into portions of the South Central United States where
it also merged with the large area of Mexican and Central American smoke.

Arizona...
An area of light to moderate density smoke, from a fire over central
Arizona, was extending from central Arizona northeast into portions of
northern New Mexico.

AEROSOL/SMOKE:
Southwest Atlantic Ocean, Southeastern United States, Gulf Coast States,
Gulf of Mexico, Western Caribbean Islands, Central and Southern Mexico,
northwestern Central America and Eastern Pacific Ocean...
A large area of predominantly light density smoke attributed to widespread
seasonal fire activity throughout central and southern Mexico and Central
America was observed today from portions of the southwest Atlantic Ocean
and western Caribbean Islands extending west and southwest through
portions of the Southeastern and Gulf Coastal States of the United
States, the Gulf of Mexico, central and southern Mexico, northwestern
Central America and the eastern Pacific Ocean.  The highest density
smoke within this area was located over the far western Caribbean Sea,
northwestern Central America, southeastern Mexico and much of the western
Gulf of Mexico.  Aerosols from volcanic emissions, industrial sources
in Mexico and gas flaring activity in the southwest Gulf of Mexico were
also likely associated with the southern portions of this expansive area
of aerosol/smoke observed throughout these regions today.

Hanna

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

 


Unless otherwise indicated:
  • Areas of smoke are analyzed using GOES-EAST and GOES-WEST Visible satellite imagery.
  • Only a general description of areas of smoke or significant smoke plumes will be analyzed.
  • A quantitative assessment of the density/amount of particulate or the vertical distribution is not included.
  • Widespread cloudiness may prevent the detection of smoke even from significant fires.