Thursday, December 18, 2025

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

SMOKE:
Southern Louisiana…
Despite moderate cloud cover in southern Louisiana this evening,
agricultural fires in the region were observed producing light-density
smoke that drifted towards the northeast.

Southern Texas…
A fire located in Brooks County, Texas was observed producing localized
heavy-density smoke and light-to-moderate density smoke that drifted
east across Kenedy County towards the Gulf coast.

Kansas…
Fires located in the Kansas counties of Russell and Reno were seen
producing light-to-moderate density smoke that moved southeast across
the state, drifting across state lines into northern Oklahoma.

Chihuahua…
Fires located in the Mexican state of Chihuahua produced light-density
smoke drifting towards the southeast.

AEROSOL/SMOKE:
Mexico...
An area of light-density smoke consisting of aerosols from urban and
industrial activity, mixed with emissions from scattered fire activity
in the region persisted across the Mexican Coastal Plain and the western
Gulf, with some spread south into the Pacific Ocean off the southern
coastlines of Mexico and Guatemala.

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.