Wednesday, December 17, 2025

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0000Z December 18, 2025

SMOKE:
Southeastern CONUS…
Agricultural fires in the Southeastern United States were observed in
evening producing light-to-moderate density smoke but were obscured due
to heavy cloud cover.

Chihuahua…
Multiple fires in the Mexican state of Chihuahua were seen producing
light-to-moderate density smoke that drifted towards the southeast.

Baja California…
Fires located in northeastern corner of Baja California were observed
producing light-density smoke that extended northeast across the
U.S.-Mexico border into southeastern California and southwestern Arizona.

Missouri…
Light-density smoke plumes were observed being produced this evening
by fires in the Missouri counties of Crawford and Washington, drifting
north across Franklin County.

AEROSOL/SMOKE:
Mexico...
An area of light-density smoke consisting of aerosols from urban and
industrial activity, mixed with emissions from scattered fire activity
remained over central Mexico, spreading northeast into the southern Gulf
and Yucatan, as well southwest into the Pacific.

BLOWING DUST:
Nevada/Utah…
Strong winds were observed lofting dust from dry lake beds scattered
throughout west-central and southern Nevada and from salt pans in
west-central Utah. The dust was transported east to southeast from the
parent sources.

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.