DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1500Z April 3, 2026
SMOKE: Southeastern/Eastern CONUS… Scattered agricultural fires were observed across eastern CONUS this morning, but widespread cloud cover prevented detection of most smoke plumes, if present. However, smoke from a large fire located on the Florida-Georgia state border was discernible among the cloud column producing a light-density smoke plume, and extending to the northwest. Florida… Agricultural fires located south of Lake Okeechobee produced plumes that overlapped into an area of light-density smoke and traveled westward. AEROSOL/SMOKE: Mexico/Gulf of America/Central America/Pacific Ocean… A layer of light smoke persisted due to fire activity, remnant smoke from previous days, and aerosol emissions from gas flaring and other industrial activities across central and southern Mexico. The smoke extended across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and into the Gulf of America, dissipating just before reaching the U.S Gulf Coast. The smoke continued from Central America toward the central Mexican coast before drifting southwestward into the Pacific. 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