DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 2330Z May 26, 2026
SMOKE: Canada/Midwestern CONUS… A large area of light-density smoke from fire activity in southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba was observed this evening. The plume traveled from Manitoba and Ontario into the Great Lakes region, northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Two fires located in central Saskatchewan produced moderate-to-heavy density smoke that traveled west. A large fire in central Manitoba also produced moderate-to-heavy density smoke that blanketed western and southeastern portions of the province. SMOKE/AEROSOL: Mexico/Pacific Ocean/Gulf of America/Central America... Fire activity, aerosol emissions from gas flaring and other industrial activities, and remnant smoke from previous days contributed to a widespread layer of light-density smoke and aerosols across Mexico and Central America. The smoke extended southwest into the Pacific Ocean, east into Central America, and north across the western Gulf of America towards the southern United States. Widespread fires along Mexico’s Pacific coast produced individual, localized smoke plumes ranging in various densities that contributed to the broader area of light-density smoke observed across the region. Moderate-density smoke spanned from Jalisco to Guerrero, while a separate moderate-density smoke plume extended from Mexico’s Gulf coast, continuing across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and into the Pacific Ocean. DUST: Nevada/California… Blowing dust was observed in southern Nevada and parts of eastern California this evening. Multiple individual dust plumes were present in the region, traveling due north. Baja California… Light blowing dust was observed in central Baja California this evening, drifting eastward into the Gulf of California. 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