Tuesday, March 18, 2025

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0100Z March 19, 2025

SMOKE:
Southeastern U.S...
Numerous prescribed burns and seasonal fire activity across the
southeastern CONUS was observed producing a large area of light density
smoke that extended across Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, and parts
of northern Florida. Within this region, localized moderate density
smoke plumes concentrated within Georgia were observed  progressing
northeastward. Additionally, a patch of moderate density smoke due to the
close proximity of the numerous fires from fire activity was observed
briefly over southern Georgia and northern Florida before cloud cover
obscured the region.

Florida...
Two large wildfires on the southern tip of Florida was observed producing
a large light to moderate density smoke plume that extended southwest
into the Gulf of America.

Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas...
A large wildfire located on the border between northern Texas and
northwestern Oklahoma was observed producing a large light density smoke
plume that extended northeast across the states and well into central
Kansas. The smoke may extend further across the regions but cloud cover
precluded further analysis.

AEROSOL/SMOKE:
Central and Southern Mexico/Pacific Ocean/Gulf of America/Bay of
Campeche...
An area of predominantly light density smoke and aerosols, attributed
to scattered agricultural burning, volcanic emissions, and industrial
sources throughout Central and Southern Mexico was observed this evening
along the southwestern coast of Mexico near northern Central America. It
was then seen extending west into the Pacific Ocean and east into the
southern Gulf of America near the Bay of Campeche.


DUST:
New Mexico/Texas/Oklahoma/Mexico...
A large amount of moderate to thick density dust, originating in southern
New Mexico and northern Mexico, was observed moving northeastward across
northern Texas and Oklahoma. The dust was observed briefly expanding
into Colorado and Kansas before cloud cover engulfed the region.


Nguyen

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.