An โabnormally large dust cloudโ from the Sahara desert in Africa is en-route to the east coast of the United States and the Caribbean right now and is expected to land on the Gulf Coast between Tuesday and Thursday.
Although large dust clouds are common this time of year, this one has caught the attention of meteorologists due to its abnormally large size. It was caused by strong updrafts in the Sahara picking up dust, which is then taken by easterly winds over the Atlantic. If the trade winds are just right (as they are now), the dust can make it over to the Americas. It’s actually not unusual at all, but the current dust layer is pretty thick.
โAccording to scientists that I have gotten some information from, theyโre saying this is an abnormally large dust cloud. One of the things I noticed from this is the dust started coming off the coast of Africa several days ago, in fact maybe over a week ago. And itโs still coming. Itโs almost like a prolonged area of dust.โ
– AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and lead hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski
As the dust is carried the 5,000-miles across the Atlantic, it tends to suppress tropical thunderstorm activity.
โIt keeps a lid on the atmosphere and brings dry air into anything that may try to develop, which is very detrimental for tropical development which relies on warm, moist air.”
– AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert
Another positive of the phenomenon is the potential for spectacular sunrises and sunsets across Florida and the Caribbean, with the particles of dust in the atmosphere giving off deeper reds and oranges than normal.
The Sahara is a desert located on the African continent. It is the largest hot desert in the world, and the third largest desert overall after Antarctica and the Arctic. Its area of 9,200,000 square kilometers (3,600,000ย sqย mi) is comparable to the area of China or the United States. The name ‘Sahara’ is derived from the Arabic word for “desert”, แนฃaแธฅra.
1. What is the publication/source depicting latest Sahara Air Layer distribution over the US?
2. Thank you for making clear to readers the meaning of “Sahara”. Some media outlets insist on coupling Sahara and desert, though the more professionally edited agencies no longer make that mistake.
3. Those of us who drive significant distances wish the SAL dust plume would go back home. Much of the dust is fine enough to pass through standard automobile engine air filters.