Friday, January 16, 2026

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0000Z January 17, 2026

SMOKE:
Florida…
Multiple fires were observed producing small, individual light-density
smoke plumes.

Southeast CONUS...
Widespread agricultural fires were observed across Alabama, Georgia,
South Carolina and North Carolina, producing light-density smoke plumes
across the region, heading mostly northeast.

Oklahoma/Arkansas/Texas/Louisiana…
Light-density smoke was observed across southeast Texas. One particular
fire in western Arkansas produced especially heavy smoke that traveled
east.


AEROSOL/SMOKE:
Mexico/Pacific Ocean...
An area of light-density smoke, consisting of smoke produced by active
fires scattered throughout southern Mexico, mixed with aerosols from
nearby urban and industrial sources, was observed dispersing across the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec before reaching the Pacific Ocean off the coast
of Mexico.


Gaskill


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.