Tuesday, November 18, 2025

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0000Z November 19, 2025

SMOKE:
Eastern United States…
Agricultural burning was observed across the Eastern United States
this evening, producing plumes of light-to-moderate density smoke from
Alabama to the Carolinas. An area of light-density smoke consisting of
the light-to-moderate smoke plumes and smoke remnants from previous
days’ agricultural fires was formed across the Southeastern United
States, drifting east into the Atlantic Ocean. An additional area of
light-density smoke extended south over the northern portion of the Gulf
of America and southwest along Texas’ coastline, merging with the area
of light-density smoke extending from Mexico’s eastern coastline.

Oregon…
Light-to-moderate density smoke produced by the fires near the coast of
southwestern Oregon were observed drifting into the Pacific Ocean. The
smoke continued moving south along the coastline of northern California.

Florida…
Agricultural fires in southern Florida were observed producing an area of
light-density smoke drifting west into the Gulf of America as it merged
with the larger area of light-density smoke extended south over the Gulf
from the Southeastern United States.

AEROSOL/SMOKE:
Mexico/Pacific Ocean…
An area of light-density smoke, consisting of primarily of aerosols from
gas flaring and other urban/industrial activity across Mexico, mixed
with additional emissions from scattered fire activity in the region and
remnants from previous days’ activities, was observed dispersing into
the Pacific Ocean off the southern coastline of Mexico. An additional
area of smoke was observed along Mexico’s eastern coastline, extending
into the Gulf of America.

GL



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:http://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.