DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0000Z June 5, 2026
SMOKE: Central Canada/Northern Plains… Wildfire activity from northern Alberta and southern Northwest Territory to northern Manitoba was producing moderate to thick smoke. The smoke from this activity was moving northeastward from the Manitoba fires, northwest to northeast from northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, and eastward to east-northeastward from southern Northwest Territory. In addition to active smoke emissions, remnant smoke was forming a layer of smoke across southern Northwest Territory extending eastward over Nunavut. Another area of remnant smoke, likely also supplied by this wildfire activity coupled with other fire activity across North Dakota, Minnesota, and southern Manitoba, was also noted across much of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Dakotas, Minnesota and far northwestern Ontario. A third area was also analyzed across Quebec and the Maritime Provinces. It may very well be true that these three areas may comprise of one sprawling area of smoke; however, cloud cover was making it difficult to conclusively connect these areas of smoke. Mid-Atlantic/Southeastern CONUS… Scattered to widespread fire activity was analyzed from Virginia to Mississippi, with much of the smoke production observed across the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains. Smoke was moving clockwise around a high pressure area over the Appalachians, with the only exception in southern North Carolina in the afternoon with a presumed sea breeze moving smoke northwestward in the mid-to-late afternoon. Most smoke was relatively light in nature with one or two producing notably more dense smoke. Pacific Northwest… A fire in Washington State’s Yakima Valley and another fire in Boise National Forest were both producing light to moderate smoke today. The smoke from these fires was moving eastward. SMOKE/AEROSOL: Mexico/Pacific Ocean/Gulf of 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 south and central Mexico. The smoke extended southwest into the Pacific Ocean, and north across the western Gulf of America, ultimately reaching southern Texas. A large area of moderate-density smoke was observed in the southern Gulf of America drifting southward across Mexico and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec into the Pacific Ocean. Additional area of moderate-density smoke was observed on the Pacific coast of southern Mexico. BLOWING DUST: Tropical Atlantic/Caribbean/Yucatan/Bay of Campeche… Saharan Dust was observed spanning the entire Atlantic as far west as the Bay of Campeche, and from Central America northward to the southern Gulf of America. It is possible that some Saharan Dust is also seen a little farther north moving into southern Texas and possibly over Mexico. Hosley 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