Sahara’s dust clouds are heading towards Florida and beyond
Dust clouds blown from the Sahara desert to the southeastern US can affect local weather and make sunrise and sunset particularly clear
Every year, seasonal winds carry tens of millions of tons of Sahara dust across the Atlantic. On February 18, 2021, the NOAA-20 Viirs captured a dramatic indication of airborne dust.
NASA Earth Observatory Image by Lauren Dauphin using VIIRS data from NASA Eosdis Lance, Gibs/Worldview and Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership
Dust clouds floating from the Sahara desert over the Atlantic could potentially and potentially dry weather in Florida and parts of the southeastern United States over the next few days.
what’s happening
Between the end of spring and autumn, dust from Saharan is blown away in the Atlantic every 3-5 days. If the conditions are correct, this dusty mass can make it over the thousands of miles needed to reach North America. Meteorologists call this type of air the Sahara air layer, or sal.
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Now, on Friday, thin monkeys are spread across Florida, says Ana Torres Vazquez, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Miami office. Torres-Vazquez said another layer of dust, this one thick and dense, could have been blown away next week.
It is worth noting that Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1st. Generally, SAL tends to dry out the air it drifts. Therefore, some scientists believe that these dust clouds can actually hinder hurricane development. But for now, forecasters are not expecting a tropical storm in the Atlantic within next week.
Sunrise, Sunset
Due to the prolonged dust, the most notable effects for local residents may be unusual sunrise and sunset.
“If you have Saharan dust or other types of particles, and the sun is diagonal, like at sunrise or sunset, says Torres Vazquez.
Other parts of the country may see sunrise and sunset enhancements from wildfire smoke, a variety of microparticles, over the next few days. Canada has experienced even more brutal years with wildfires of nearly 700,000 hectares, or more than 2,500 square miles.
Currently, fires are particularly bad in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. This is because high temperatures are clogged in central Canada. Smoke from these flames is expected to reach US states, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan in the coming days.
Depending on how close the dust and smoke are to the surface of the earth, these types of particulate matter can be detrimental to the health of people, especially for very young or very old people, or those with asthma or heart or lung disease. An index of air quality can help you measure whether precautions should be taken.
