DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 2330Z April 9, 2026
SMOKE: Midwestern CONUS… Fires were detected across the Midwestern CONUS this evening. Before significant cloud cover in the region, multiple fires were observed producing individual, light-density smoke plumes that moved north. A particular fire in Central Arkansas was seen generating a light-to-heavy drifting towards the north as well. A larger area of light-density smoke was also observed dispersing over Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, and eastern Texas. The smoke may also consist of smoke remnants from yesterday’s fires in the region. Southeastern CONUS… Widespread agricultural fires across the Southeastern United States were observed producing individual light-to-moderate density smoke plumes primarily traveling towards to west, with some smoke plumes in eastern Texas, Louisiana, and northern Mississippi drifting with the winds towards the northwest. Kentucky/Tennessee/Appalachian Plateau… Fires across the region primarily produced light-to-moderate density smoke plumes primarily drifting northward. A particular fire located in Leslie County, Kentucky was observed producing a light-to-heavy density smoke plume drifting towards the north. Two other fires located in the Virginia counties of Wythe and Bath were observed producing light-to-moderate density smoke plumes extending in multiple directions, affecting multiple neighboring counties. Washington/Idaho/Montana… Widespread fires in Washington, northern Idaho, and Montana were observed producing individual smoke plumes ranging in light-to-heavy density smoke, with the majority drifting towards the east. AEROSOL/SMOKE: Mexico/Gulf of America/Central America/Pacific Ocean... Smoke from fire activity, remnant smoke from previous days, and aerosol emissions from gas flaring and other industrial activities in central and southern Mexico spread as a layer of light-density smoke that extended into the Bay of Campeche, across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and along the southern coasts of Mexico and Central America before continuing 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