DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 2330Z May 4, 2026

SMOKE:
Southeastern CONUS…
Agricultural fires were active across southeastern CONUS this evening,
producing primarily light-density individual smoke plumes that traveled
mainly northeast. Plumes were concentrated in southeastern Mississippi,
southern Alabama, and northwestern Florida, near the border of Georgia. A
fire located in Alachua County, Florida produced a large plume of
medium-density smoke that traveled northeastward before shifting direction
and continuing northwest over neighboring counties. In North Carolina,
a large fire located in Hoke County produced medium-density smoke that
extended northeastwards across the state.

SMOKE/AEROSOL:
Mexico/Pacific Ocean/Gulf of America/Central America...
Smoke from fire activity, aerosol emissions from gas flaring and other
industrial activities, as well as remnant smoke from previous days
contributed to a widespread layer of light-density smoke/aerosol that
was observed extending north into the Gulf and continuing eastward into
the Yucatan Peninsula and Central America before drifting into the Gulf
of Honduras. A layer of medium-density smoke was concentrated over the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Light-density smoke also extended across southern
Mexico before drifting into the Pacific, off the coasts of Mexico and
Central America.

DUST:
Blowing dust was observed this evening, originating over central Illinois
and moving to the northeast, continuing into northwestern Indiana and
Lake Michigan.

Gaskill


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

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.