DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1500Z May 27, 2026
SMOKE: Canada/Midwestern CONUS… A large area of remnant light-density smoke from yesterday’s fire activity in southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba was observed this morning. The plume traveled southeastward from Manitoba and Ontario into the Great Lakes region, blanketing northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and the Ontario Peninsula. 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. Individual fires in western Jalisco produced an area of light-to-moderate smoke that contributed to the broader area of light-density smoke observed across the region. DUST: Baja California… Light blowing dust was observed in Baja California peninsula this morning, drifting eastward into the Gulf of California. Caribbean Sea… Light blowing dust from the Saharan Desert was observed drifting westward into the Lesser Antilles. 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