Smoke from Siberia reaches the US and Canada; Moderate AQI
A lot of activity in terms of Air Quality today over the US. First, PM2.5 moderate concentration levels were reported by AirNow over the Great Plains, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic region. California also reached moderate levels and some unhealthy levels for sensitive groups for short time (top left). Ozone levels were also moderate in several states mainly in the afternoon (bottom left). In particular, unhealthy levels were read in southern California (top right).
HMS reported today different fires and large smoke plumes in the US (middle left). A large area of what appears to be mostly remnant smoke from the recent large wildfires burning through central Arizona and western New Mexico can be seen in satellite imagery moving eastward and getting wrapped up in the low pressure system that is currently in the vicinity of Colorado. The full extent from this area of remnant smoke may not be seen due to the increasing clouds throughout this region.
An elongated plume was also detected in the mid-Atlantic region; this aerosol is believed to be smoke from different fires in the US with contribution also from fires in Russia. Lidar observations at UMBC have detected the presence of smoke extending from 2 to 4 km during the day (middle right).
According to the smoke coming from Russia, HMS reported that a large area of high-level remnant smoke that originated from multiple Siberian fires can be seen across British Columbia and Washington. This smoke extends northeastward into northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories, then extends southeastward into the north-central US. The smoke has been slowly tracking eastward across New York behind a surface frontal boundary.
Modis Image published an image that shows the Siberian smoke crossing the Bering sea in its way to the east (bottom). In this image, the plume of smoke appears light gray while banks of cloud are bright white. Snow covers much of Kamchatka the land mass in the west. Karaginsky Island, just off Kamchatka's eastern shore, is surrounded by sea ice. Clouds stream off the southwest shores of Beringa and Medny Islands. To the east, Attu Station, Alaska, is surrounded by cloud.
Posted by Daniel Orozco at May 17, 2012 10:19 PM
