DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 2330Z September 23, 2026
SMOKE: Canada… A layer of light-density smoke from the fires in the Northwest Territories and from fires throughout Canada drifted eastward across Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Hudson Bay, and off the coast of Baffin Island before extending into Greenland. An area of moderate-density smoke was observed from northern Manitoba extending east-northeastward over the Hudson Bay. California… The Timber and Dome fires were observed producing light-to-heavy density smoke drifting north-northeastward. Southeastern CONUS… Isolated fires in Mississippi were observed producing light-to-moderate density smoke drifting southwestward. A broad layer of light-density smoke spanned the Gulf coast from the panhandle of Florida and extending into the eastern half of Texas and southern Oklahoma. Mexico/Gulf of America… A layer of light-density smoke from agricultural burning and industrial activity were observed in the Gulf coastal region of Mexico, spanning eastward into the Gulf of America and southward across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and into the Pacific Ocean. An area of moderate-density smoke was observed in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec before extending northward into the Gulf of America and southward into the Pacific. And westward along the Mexican Pacific coast. BLOWING DUST: Caribbean… Blowing dust from the Sahara Desert was observed lofting over the Atlantic Ocean towards the Lesser Antilles and into the southern Caribbean Ocean. GM 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 map: https://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