DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0000Z December 21, 2018.

SMOKE:
Great Plains...
From North Dakota to extreme southwestern Louisiana, a handful of fires
were observed emitting thin smoke. The smoke from these fires was moving
south-southeast behind the passage of a cold front.

Northern Baja California...
A few fires were observed emitting smoke, which was moving off toward
the south-southeast. Blowing dust may also be observed in this area as
well either standalone or mixing in with observed smoke. The smoke and
dust was moving out into the northern Gulf of California.

Elsewhere...
Across the southeastern CONUS, a large weather system was producing
thick cloud cover obscuring much of the southeast, with the exception
of south Florida. However, higher cloud cover was also over this area,
obscuring the analysis of smoke. This means that smoke may be present
beneath the cloud cover.

Broken to full cloud cover was also observed across much of the western
CONUS and Canada. This was also obscuring the analysis of smoke throughout
this area where fires have been analyzed. Smoke may be present under
the cloud cover.

BLOWING DUST...
See the Northern Baja California section under SMOKE.

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
GIS:    ftp://satpsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/FIRE/HMS/GIS/
KML:    http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/land/fire/fire.kml (fire)
        http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/land/fire/smoke.kml (smoke)

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.