Potential Saharan Dust Cloud Approaching U.S. This Week: Essential Facts to Consider
A colossal Saharan dust cloud, the piss-biggest this year, is blasting across the Caribbean and sauntering towards the southeastern U.S., according to CBS News. Spanning roughly 2,000 miles from Jamaica to beyond Barbados and 750 miles from the Turks and Caicos Islands to Trinidad and Tobago, this cloudy cloud has scored a bullseye on the region's visibility and air quality.
When and Where It's Pummeling
By Tuesday, the dust storm covered Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and other nearby regions, as per CBS Miami's NEXT Weather radar. Predictions indicate the cloud will move northwest and smack Florida in the midweek, then wallop other states like Georgia, the Carolinas, Texas, and Louisiana by Friday.
A Saharan dust cloud has already paved its way to Florida over the weekend, as reported by CBS Orlando affiliate WKMG. Radar showed this dusty disaster lingering over the state on Monday.
By mid-week, a far more substantial cloud will be over Florida, shaping up Florida's air quality. As radar shows, it will then migrate northward, affecting more states in the southeastern U.S. and the Gulf region.
As per hurricane experts quoted by NBC News, a titanic Saharan dust cloud is projected to reach the southeastern United States later this week through the weekend, focusing its attention on states like Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Fathoming the Saharan Air Layer and Its Falderal
This oddity occurs when the Saharan Air Layer, a dehydrated and dusty mass of air, journeys the Atlantic Ocean from Africa, typically between April and October. Noteworthy is that this dust cloud can hinder the formation of tropical waves during hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30. Peak dust concentrations are usually experienced in June and July, with the clouds meandering between 5,000 and 20,000 feet above ground level.
These Saharan dust clouds can lead to a drop in air quality, particularly for those with respiratory conditions like asthma. They can also cast a milky or hazy complexion in the sky, hampering visibility and aesthetics. In addition, they tend to stifle hurricane formation during the hurricane season by introducing dry air into potential storm systems, which can impede their development.
The Saharan dust cloud, a significant player in environmental-science, is anticipated to impact the weather in the southeastern U.S. and Gulf region, as it moves northward and potentially hinders tropical-wave formation during the hurricane season, especially in June and July. Moreover, the increased airborne dust particles may also adversely affect air quality, potentially triggering health concerns for individuals with respiratory conditions like asthma.
