Friday, April 3, 2026

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 2330Z April 3, 2026

SMOKE:
Southeastern/Eastern CONUS…
Scattered agricultural fires were observed across eastern CONUS this
evening. However, due to significant cloud cover across the region,
only a few individual, light-density smoke plumes were detectable via
satellite imagery, with the majority drifting northward. Earlier this
afternoon, a large fire located in Bath County, Virginia was observed
generating a light-to-moderate density smoke plume drifting towards the
east before being obscured by the clouds.

Southern Florida…
Individual light-density smoke plumes produced by fires in southern
Florida were discernible among the clouds in the region and were observed
drifting westward towards the Gulf.

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 northeast across the Gulf
of America, dissipating just before reaching the U.S Gulf Coast. The
smoke continued along the southern coasts of Mexico and Central America,
mixing with individual light-to-moderate density smoke plumes located
in Guerrero and Michoacan before drifting southwestward into the Pacific.

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.