Thursday, October 1, 2026

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1500Z October 1, 2026

SMOKE:
Southeastern U.S./Mississippi Valley...
Numerous fires across the Southeastern U.S. and Mississippi Valley
were observed producing light-to-moderate density smoke plumes
drifting generally northwestward and northeastward. A regional area of
moderate-density smoke spanned over much of Alabama, northwestern Georgia,
and eastern Tennessee. A large layer of remnant light-density smoke from
yesterday’s fires stretched from the Southeastern U.S. and traveled
northward towards the Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states, eastward into
the Atlantic Ocean, and southward into the Gulf of America, merging with
smoke from Mexico.

Oregon...
Fires across the state of Oregon were observed producing individual
light-to-heavy density smoke plumes generally drifting eastward and
southeastward within the state.

California...
The Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park continued to burn this morning,
producing light-to-heavy density smoke drifting northwestward towards
the Central Valley.

Mexico/Pacific Ocean/Gulf of America...
A layer of light-density smoke from agricultural burning and industrial
activity was observed across the western Gulf of America and along the
Mexican Gulf coast, extending southward across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
and into the Pacific Ocean. A layer of moderate-density smoke was also
observed extending northwestward from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec into
the Bay of Campeche. A separate layer of light-density smoke extended
westward across the Gulf of California and the Baja California peninsula
before dispersing into the Pacific Ocean.

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 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

 


Unless otherwise indicated:
  • Areas of smoke are analyzed using GOES-EAST and GOES-WEST Visible satellite imagery.
  • Only a general description of areas of smoke or significant smoke plumes will be analyzed.
  • A quantitative assessment of the density/amount of particulate or the vertical distribution is not included.
  • Widespread cloudiness may prevent the detection of smoke even from significant fires.