March 13, 2013
Smoke and Moderate PM2.5 over the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico
NOAA's Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Product reported the presence smoke over the northwestern Gulf of
Mexico. The smoke over this region yielded AOD values of 0.4 of according to the MODIS sensor in NASA's AQUA satellite. The EPA Airnow animation shows MODERATE (Code Yellow) PM2.5 AQI levels along the coastal sites in the Gulf of Mexico. Moderate as well as California and northern Idaho and northwestern Montana . Smoke from small fires in southwestern Louisiana increased particle levels overnight. The location of the fires is indicated by red dots in MODIS-AQUA RGB image.
Lidar observations over Baltimore shows a cloud capped boundary layer extending up to 2 km. Thick clouds (dark red counts)and rain forced to stop measurements around 16:00 UTC (noon local time) .
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Expect to see more code yellow days for PM-2.5 starting Monday, March 18th. This is when the revised AQI for daily 24 hour PM-2.5 takes effect as part the implementation of the new annual PM-2.5 NAAQS set at 12 ug/m3. The cutpoint from code green to code yellow will change from 15.5ug/m3 to 12.1 ug/m3.
Posted by: Dave Krask at March 14, 2013 7:28 AMI wonder if there are high res satellites images displaying the evolution of a smoke plume from a large fire caused by a barge and tug boat hitting a pipeline close to New Orleans. The accident happend March 12, 2013.
Also simultaneous AQI and hourly criteria pollutant concentration in the area.
Posted by: Jos L Hernandez at March 15, 2013 11:21 AM
Thanks, Dave. Yes, we will post tonight that there will be a fundamentally different look to the AIRNOW maps as "moderate" may be the rule. Jos, I will have to take a look and see what is available for 12 March.
Hoff, thank you for posting the MODIS image for the fire close to New Orleans on March 12. By the way is the time of the image? Is it possible to check March 13 or 14 to see if the plume is more vissible?
Posted by: Jose Hernandez at March 20, 2013 11:34 AM