DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1500Z October 30, 2026
SMOKE: Southeastern U.S.… Multiple fires were active this morning across the Southeastern U.S. A few fires located in Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina were observed producing individual light-density smoke plumes. A large area of light-density smoke stretched across the Southeastern U.S. before drifting northward towards the Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states, eastward into the Atlantic Ocean, and southward into the Gulf of America, mixing with the smoke from Mexico. The smoke may also include remnant smoke from yesterday’s fire activity in the region. Idaho… Despite significant cloud cover, a fire in northern Idaho was observed producing moderate-to-heavy density smoke drifting northwestward. Cuba… An area of light-density smoke was observed in western Cuba drifting westward across the Gulf of America towards the Yucatan Peninsula. Mexico/Central America… A layer of light to moderate-density smoke from fires and industrial sources was observed over the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and along the southwestern coast of Mexico/Central America before drifting southwestward offshore into the Pacific Ocean. Light-density smoke continued northward along the Mexican Gulf Coast, mixing with remnant smoke before drifting north-northeastward into the western Gulf of America. 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