A vast Saharan dust cloud is obscuring the Caribbean as it heads towards the United States.
Here's a lively, unfiltered take on that Saharan dust situation causing a stir:
Yo, peep this! A colossal cloud of African dust is rolling towards the US like an unstoppable sandwave, pretty much covering the entire Caribbean right now. Some might call it Mother Nature's beach sandblasting session.
As of Tuesday, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and friends were having their photoshoots ruined by dust, according to our Miami's NEXT Weather radar. By mid-week, it's gonna hit Florida, then it's party time in Georgia, the Carolinas, Texas, and Louisiana by Friday. That's just the start.
Our Orlando affiliate WKMG reported that a dust cloud from the dark continent already hit Florida over the weekend, leaving lingering dust clouds over the state on Monday. By mid-week, a larger cloud will be waist-deep over Florida, messing with the state's air quality. The cloud will then keep moving northward like a sandy marching band, affecting more southeastern U.S. states and the Gulf region.
Every year this African dust cloud takes a stroll across the Atlantic, and it's known as the Saharan Air Layer. Dust activity usually peaks from late June to mid-August, according to a meteorologist named Jason Dunion, who spilled the beans to NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service in 2020. New dust plumes pop up every few days, even reaching as far west as Texas.
While the dust is enjoying its US vacation, it's also jacking up air quality in some states because of wildfire smoke from Canada, where over a hundred fires are raging out of control, as reported by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center.
To sum it up, expect reduced visibility, hazy air, and potentially colorful sunsets in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Texas over the coming days. So break out the dust masks, folks! It's gonna be a sandy week.
- This breaking news about the Saharan dust cloud approaching the US is causing a stir, as the colossal cloud of African dust, also known as the Saharan Air Layer, could negatively impact weather and environmental-science, particularly climate-change and air quality.
- In environmental-science and climate-change discussions, the annual Saharan Air Layer, currently making headlines for its impending arrival in the US, is a significant weather phenomenon that typically peaks from late June to mid-August, as discussed by meteorologist Jason Dunion with NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service in 2020.
- Despite the dust cloud being a natural weather occurrence, the news about its impact on US states' air quality could have repercussions in the scientific community, potentially raising further questions and discussions about the effects of weather and climate-change on environmental-science and public health.
