Saharan dust is heading toward Florida. What does that mean — and can it impact your health?
Saharan dust is hurtling toward the United States, with a massive plume headed for Florida on Saturday. But what is Saharan dust, and what could it do once it arrives? Here's what you need to know.
Saharan dust is exactly what it sounds like: fine sand and mineral particles from the Sahara Desert in North Africa, the largest hot desert in the world and third largest desert overall.
Surprisingly, these clouds of fine, dusty air can travel thousands of miles — and even across entire oceans. This phenomenon actually occurs every year: The dust is carried by winds in the atmosphere, specifically by what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) calls the Saharan Air Layer — a mass of very dry, dusty air that forms over the Sahara during late spring, summer and early fall.
Saharan dust activity usually increases in mid-June and peaks from late June to mid-August, meteorologist Jason Dunion told NOAA in 2020. New dust outbreaks happen every few days when atmospheric disturbances near the Sahara kick up dust. The dust then travels to places like Florida or even Texas.
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands already saw Saharan dust this week, the National Weather Service in San Juan reported, and now, the plume is headed toward Florida. It will arrive in south and central Florida by this weekend and linger for several days, with a denser wave likely by mid-next week. As it did in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the dust will likely cause hazy skies, poorer air quality and reduced visibility, as well as more vibrant sunsets.
A plume of Saharan Dust will arrive across South Florida late this week, out ahead of a weak frontal boundary and moisture which will bring increasing rain chances this weekend.A more concentrated plume of Saharan Dust is modeled to arrive across the region mid next week. pic.twitter.com/Bvw3AqYEtE
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) May 28, 2025
There is an upside to Saharan dust beyond pretty sunset photos for Instagram, however: The dry, dusty air can also make it harder for storms and hurricanes to form, as the dry air stops the storms from gaining the moisture they need to develop. That can be a positive thing during hurricane season, which, in the Atlantic, begins in June and ends in November.
Possibly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies Saharan dust as a form of 'particulate pollution' that can degrade air quality and pose health risks. Particulate pollution can be especially concerning for people with asthma, allergies or other respiratory conditions — as well as older adults and people with heart issues — since the fine particles can be inhaled into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream.
To protect yourself from Saharan dust, stay indoors as much as you can, wear a dust mask like a KN95 if you go outside and use a HEPA air filter inside to keep the air clean. If you use medication for respiratory issues, such as an inhaler, make sure you keep it on hand at all times.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
2025 hurricane names include Andrew, Barry, Chantal. See the full list.
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins on Sunday, is likely to have an above-normal number of storms, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Forecasters predict a 60% chance there will be between 13 and 19 named storms, six to 10 of which are expected to be hurricanes. Three to five of those could be major hurricanes. As Americans along the Gulf and East Coasts prepare for the possible storms, here's a look at the names tropical storms or hurricanes will get this year. List of 2025 hurricane namesAndreaBarryChantalDexterErinFernandGabrielleHumbertoImeldaJerryKarenLorenzoMelissaNestorOlgaPabloRebekahSebastienTanyaVanWendy The list is one of six that are rotated every year, meaning this list was last used in 2019 and will be used again in 2031. The names are set by the World Meteorological Organization, a United Nations agency. A name is retired and replaced if it is used for a storm that is extremely deadly or costly, making it inappropriate to reuse for future storms. If there are ever more than 21 named storms in a season, names would be used from an alternate list approved by the World Meteorological Organization. List of 2024 hurricane names During the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, there were 18 named tropical storms and hurricanes: Tropical Storm AlbertoHurricane BerylTropical Storm ChrisHurricane DebbyHurricane ErnestoHurricane FrancineTropical Storm GordonHurricane HeleneHurricane IsaacTropical Storm JoyceHurricane KirkHurricane LeslieHurricane MiltonTropical Storm NadineHurricane OscarTropical Storm PattyHurricane RafaelTropical Storm SaraWhy tropical storms and hurricanes are named Naming storms helps meteorologists, media and public officials communicate easily about forecasts and warnings to help the public prepare, the World Meteorological Organization says. "Assigning names to tropical cyclones makes tracking and discussing specific storms more straightforward, especially when multiple storms are active simultaneously," the agency says on its website. Storms have been named for a long time, but historically they were named "haphazardly and after the fact," the World Meteorological Organization said. It wasn't until 1953 that the National Hurricane Center began using the alphabetical lists. At that time, they were only female names. Male names were added starting in 1979. Which hurricane names are retired? Nearly 100 names have been retired from the Atlantic hurricane name lists since 1954, according to NOAA. Three names from the 2024 season were retired: Beryl, Helene and Milton. Some other notable retired names include Ian (2022), Ida (2021), Harvey (2017), Irma (2017), Maria (2017), Sandy (2012) and Katrina (2005). Fans turn out for estate sale at home of Tom Petty Trump says Musk is "not really leaving" as DOGE savings lag behind projections How a toddler's brave walk into the darkness to get help inspired his family
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
‘Extreme' Northern Lights Alert: 27 States May See Aurora This Weekend During Intense Storm
Scotland, East Lothian, silhouette of woman standing on Seacliff Beach watching Northern lights The Northern Lights may be visible from 27 U.S. states on Sunday, June 1 through Monday, June 2, 2025, after a massive geomagnetic storm was forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "By as early as midday on 01 Jun to early on 02Jun, conditions are expected to increase rapidly with the arrival of the CME from 31 May," said a NOAA post, referring to the arrival of a coronal mass ejection — a huge cloud of charged particles — from he sun. "G3-G4 (Strong-Severe) conditions are likely, with a chance for G5 (Extreme) levels on 01-02 Jun," said NOAA. The effects of the CME could last through Tuesday, June 3. However, NOAA added that, "While confidence is high for CME arrival at Earth, confidence is much lower for timing and magnitude." The effect on darkness hours of Earth's tilt as we approach the solstice on June 21 make the U.S. currently one of the best places to see the Northern Lights. NOAA has also dropped an aurora viewline forecast that indicates that aurora may be seen from 27 U.S. states. According to NOAA, this display may be seen in northern skies from northern Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, northeast Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine — and many others. Regions closest to the border with Canada will have the highest possibility of seeing the aurora. The potential displays of aurora borealis tonight have a predicted Kp index of 7.67. According to NOAA, that means 'the aurora will move even further from the poles and will become quite bright and active. At this geomagnetic activity level, it might be possible to see the aurora from the northern edge of the United States.' NOAA's aurora viewline forecast for Sunday, June1, 2025. Here are some tips for seeing the aurora: The solar wind is a stream of charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. They're super-charged by a coronal mass ejection that travels to Earth over a few days. Aurora is typically seen in polar regions at around latitudes of 70 degrees north and south, but during extreme geomagnetic conditions — usually when CMEs arrive at Earth one after another, or in tandem — the auroral oval can bulge, with displays then seen as low as 25 degrees north and south of the equator. Follow my page for the latest Northern Lights forecast. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Hurricane season 2025: Central Florida prepares for flooding
When Hurricane Irma barreled through Central Florida in 2017, floodwaters rose several feet in the streets of the working-class neighborhood of Orlo Vista and up to the window sills in Levi Williams' home. 'We could see fish and tadpoles swimming in the water,' she said Thursday. It was weeks before she could finally return to the home where she had lived since 1975. It was the first time her house flooded. Williams was chased out of her home again by flooding in September 2022 when Hurricane Ian swamped Central Florida, dumping nearly 15 inches in some spots. She remembered sheets of water flowing along the streets of Orlo Vista, destroying nearly everything in its path, before spreading into homes. Some residents had to be rescued out of their houses by the National Guard with high-water vehicles. Williams will often tell her stories of those two storms to warn Central Florida residents — even those who have lived in the region for decades — that a hurricane's rains are just as dangerous as its winds. 'We have no control over the weather. That's God's doing,' she said. 'But we can be prepared.' That's the message that national weather forecasters, emergency management directors and public officials also are spreading as this year's Atlantic hurricane season starts today and continues through Nov. 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts another 'above average' hurricane season with between 13 and 19 named storms. Central Florida residents, they warn, should be ready for heavy rains that can destroy homes within hours, even if their area is not in the direct path of a large storm. 'We're not on the coast, so people say: 'Oh gosh, we don't have to worry about hurricanes so much,'' said U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, former governor of Florida, on Thursday during a press briefing in Sanford regarding hurricane preparedness. 'But if you really look at these hurricanes, what's happened is: They've really become big water events,' Scott said, as he gathered with public safety officials. 'We've had unbelievable flooding where people thought we've never had flooding before.' Scott and other emergency officials at the event urged homeowners purchase flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program, even if their properties are not in a designated flood zone. Marie Lackey, a program manager for Seminole County's public works department, said Central Florida has experienced what scientists and weather experts refer to as a '100-year flood event' four times since 2017. A 100-year flood event means it's so rare that it has only a 1% chance of occurring within a specific year. 'Our systems are not designed for that amount of rainfall,' she said. 'And that is a concern, not just in our county, but in our surrounding counties.' Jean Brower and her husband, James, learned that first hand. They were forced to live in a hotel for more than two weeks after Hurricane Ian dumped 19 inches of rain in some spots of Osceola County and flooded the couple's mobile home park, Good Samaritan Society's Kissimmee Village. More than a dozen units were later demolished. County crews have since dredged nearby canals with hopes of preventing a similar disaster. 'We're a little more nervous this year,' said Brower, who blames the stress from the hurricane for a stroke she suffered that left her wheelchair-bound in January 2023. 'We know that they're predicting another busy hurricane season,' she said. 'But it's coming up too soon. We'll keep our fingers crossed.' In Osceola, officials plan to soon implement FloodWise, a software technology that can predict where flooding will occur at the street level up to three days in advance of an approaching storm. 'It will alert us where to put pumps and sandbags,' said Linette Matheny, Osceola's executive director of environment and public lands. 'We can tell people in an apartment complex to move their cars or property out of the way.' Trying to estimate how much rain will fall in a particular area during an approaching storm can drive weather forecasters and emergency management officials to frustration. Devastating floods can occur far from a hurricane's eye. A storm's outer bands of rain can cause local deluges, so residents should be prepared even in areas that are outside a storm's forecasted track. When Hurricane Milton cut a path across south Osceola last October, Kissimmee received slightly under 4 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. But Sanford, more than 35 miles north from the eye, saw more than 11 inches of rain. Olivier Welscher — who runs Meriwether Farms next to the historic Midway community near Sanford — said he's uneasy about this year's hurricane season after his property off Celery Avenue flooded during Ian in September 2022. 'Ian was just a crazy storm,' Welscher said. 'We have never been flooded that bad. … And that was followed by [Tropical Storm] Nicole' in November 2022. Midway residents have long struggled with flooded roads and inundated yards after strong storms because of an aging stormwater infrastructure. Many Midway homes were built more than half a century ago. The flooding has become worse in recent years, residents say, because of stronger storms and hundreds of new homes built around their community in Sanford. The city's stormwater drains and ditches are often clogged with tree limbs and other vegetative debris, according to residents. 'It has been woefully neglected,' said Emory Green Jr., a longtime Midway resident, said. 'This is a priority that needs to be addressed. … And it makes me 100% nervous.' In Altamonte Springs, residents in the Spring Oaks neighborhood, tucked along a crook of the Little Wekiva River, have had to use canoes and kayaks to leave their homes after hurricanes Irma, Ian and Milton flooded their roads. More than 60 residents were evacuated after Irma. Spring Oaks resident Alan Wyland has already started stockpiling sandbags and other items in preparation for this year's hurricane season. 'We've learned to be ready,' he said this week. In south Orange County, Jimmy Tadlock remembered a wave of stormwater flowing into his home during Ian in the Bonnie Brook neighborhood. 'It ruined everything — furniture, appliances, even the vehicle,' he said. 'The lift stations just couldn't handle it.' Those memories make Tadlock nervous about this year's hurricane season, too. 'It's just been getting worse every year,' he said. 'The weather is bad everywhere, not just here. You're seeing heavy rains, winds, tornadoes; everywhere around the country.' In Orlo Vista, Williams hopes Orange County's recent improvements to the stormwater drainage systems will help spare her neighborhood from flooding this year. In November 2022, two months after Ian, Orange County hired a North Carolina company to a $21.5-million contract to deepen three storm-water ponds and install a new pump station and stormwater conduits. 'The ponds have been dug deeper, and they can now hold a lot more water than in the past,' said Jeff Charles, operations supervisor with Orange's stormwater management division. Charles pointed out no Orlo Vista properties were flooded during last October's Hurricane Milton, even after receiving nearly six inches of rain. 'But they should've taken more active measures earlier,' Williams said, remembering her flood-damaged home from hurricanes Irma and Ian.
