5 days ago
Here's what you need to know: Sahara dust is making its way to East Texas
TYLER, Texas (KETK) — Every year around this time, the Sahara Desert in Africa experiences peak emissions that sends dust particles across the Atlantic Ocean, causing air quality changes in East Texas. Here's what we know about this phenomenon and how it could effect East Texans.
Dust from Sahara brings hazy skies to East Texas
Although allergy season is wrapping up, East Texans could still experience higher dust levels from the annual Sahara air layer that is heading this way. Its unknown exactly how much dust East Texans should anticipate, but they will likely see changes in visibility and air quality.
KETK sat down with Professor and Center Director for Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Amarillo Brent Auvermann Ph.D. to talk about this environmental occurrence.
'It really is more of a general haze, things will change colors, sunlight will look different. the sun itself may look more red,' Auvermann said. 'At various times of the day, the clouds will be dingier in all likelihood and visibility will be somewhat reduced, depends on the intensity of the event. It is likely that air monitors that are monitoring air pollution at the ground level in East Texas will pick something up this time around,' Auvermann said.
According to Google Maps, Texas and the Sahara Dessert are separated by over 7,000 miles of Atlantic Ocean water, which prompts people to question exactly how all this dust could travel that far without settling in the ocean.
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Auvermann said these dust particles in the Sahara are small enough to rise high into the air through convection and travel long distances. Once some of these particles reach humid air, they can absorb water which makes them become heavier and settle in more humid areas like East Texas.
'They might absorb water from the atmosphere in response to changes in relative humidity,' Auvermann said. 'So as it gets more humid, they might absorb more water, that makes the particle larger, probably makes it settle out faster.'
The dust particles travel toward East Texas because of a natural steering current that causes the wind to blow west from the African coast all the way to eastern parts of the United States depending on latitude. One question that might be on the minds of East Texans is how will this dust effect residents and the environment.
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Auvermann said it is believed that this dust event has been happening for arounds thousands of years leaving him to suspect that ecosystems have become somewhat used to its effects. As for humans, Auvermann recommends that those with respiratory or other allergy driven issues talk to a doctor about treatment.
People who do not suffer from respiratory issues should also stay cautious of this dust event as it could effect anyone.
'Is it possible that somebody that had never been triggered to asthma might be triggered to something like this? Its possible and so again people will always want to be in touch with medical professionals,' Auvermann said.
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East Texans can expect to see some changes in the air quality index this month and Auvermann suspects these changes will last anywhere from a couple days to almost a week.
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