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New York Post
4 hours ago
- Climate
- New York Post
Florida on alert after massive Saharan dust cloud clobbers Caribbean — air quality will suffer, experts say
Florida's about to get a free shipment of dust — straight from the desert. A mammoth cloud of Saharan dust, roughly the size of the continental U.S., is barreling across the Atlantic and expected to smother parts of the Sunshine State in a rusty haze this week. The gritty gift from North Africa has already blanketed the Caribbean — and now it's Florida's turn to breathe it in. 'It's the biggest one we've had so far this season,' Jason Dunion, a meteorologist who monitors hurricanes and Saharan dust, told the New York Times in an interview over the weekend He likened the thick layer to a 'London fog' with a 'brilliant orange glow' at sunset. 3 A monster cloud of Saharan dust the size of the U.S. is stampeding across the Atlantic — and Florida's about to get hit with a face full of rusty haze. RAMMB / CIRA @ CSU By the time the 5,000-mile trans-Atlantic traveler reaches the Gulf Coast — from Florida to Texas — it'll lose some of its bite, but residents can still expect surreal sepia-toned skies, muggy heat and a spike in allergy attacks. The dusty invasion may look apocalyptic, but it's all part of Earth's strange seasonal ritual. Between mid-June and late July, massive waves of superheated air over the Sahara launch particles sky-high, where winds from the African Easterly Jet blast them westward. And it even has a name: the Saharan Air Layer, according to Fox 35. 3 The gritty gift from North Africa has smothered the Caribbean — now Florida's next in line to choke on the dusty takeover. FOX 35 'It's like rinse and repeat every year, it's part of a normal cycle of Earth's oscillations,' Sammy Hadi, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Miami, told The Times. Although this isn't anything for people to fret about, the Saharan Air Layer weakens air quality, which will make going outside especially difficult for those with asthma or breathing issues. However, the surrounding dust does make for stunning picture-worthy sunrises and sunsets. And while Saharan dust may coat your car like it's been parked in a construction zone, it will make for fewer rain storms — which can be both a good and bad thing. 'There's a lot of dry air, and you don't feel that dry air, but the clouds feel it because as they grow and form thunderstorms, they run into that dry air and they just collapse,' Dunion dished to The Times. 'They get stifled.' 3 Two waves of airborne grime are duking it out over the Southeast — caught between Sahara dust and wildfire smoke, locals are stuck in a gritty showdown. Jim Schwabel – Dust suppresses tropical storm formation by robbing the atmosphere of the moisture it needs to spawn serious weather. In other words: it's not just dirty — it's doing duty. That's good news for hurricane-watchers but not great news for everyone else, because typically the rain helps wash away all the sand and dust. So, without it — all of it just lingers in the air. Experts say the dust storms typically die down by August and September.
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Climate
- Forbes
4 Quick Facts About African Dust Approaching The U.S.
In recent days, a quick look up into the skies of the United States could yield anything from Canadian wildfire smoke to the Aurora Borealis. African dust will be added to the list over the next few days. Here are four quick facts about the African dust approaching the United States this week. June 1st is the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, but atmospheric scientists also watch for the Saharan Air Layer too. Often referred to by scientists as the SAL, NOAA defines it as, 'A mass of very dry, dusty air that forms over the Sahara Desert during the late spring, summer and early fall.' In the satellite imagery taken on June 2nd, source regions are evidence over the Desert, and hazy plumes of dust are evident over the Atlantic Ocean. As an aside, plumes of smoke from Canadian wildfires are evident over the U.S. too. Jason Dunion is a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami and is also affiliated with NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. In a NOAA '101' about the SAL, he said, 'SAL activity typically ramps up in mid-June and peaks from late June to mid-August, with new outbreaks occurring every three to five days.' The outbreaks can transport dust as far west as Texas and Central America. So why does this happen? It's actually related to some of the triggering mechanisms associated with peak season hurricane activity. Dunion went on to say, 'SAL outbreaks can form when ripples in the lower-to-middle atmosphere, called tropical waves, track along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and loft vast amounts of dust into the atmosphere.' Those tropical waves, under the right conditions, can develop into tropical cyclones or hurricanes. Speaking of hurricanes, the SAL can be so thick and expansive that it has effects on tropical systems. Scientists believe the dry, dusty, and warm SAL impacts tropical storm development, but like most things in science, it's complicated. Nearly two decades ago, NASA and conducted a large experiment called the NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA) campaign. The goal was to understand how the dust aerosols affect tropical development. That effort and others have mostly concluded that African dust inhibits development of tropical activity. Hurricane development can be impacted by a dry air in the middle levels of the atmosphere, which is often where you find the SAL. Developing systems can also be torn apart in the early stages of development by wind shear associated with strong plume of air (an easterly jet) often associated with Saharan dust storms. The dust itself is also problematic too. It can help to stabilize the atmosphere and prevent the ocean water from heating up. One complication is that some studies have indicated that dust aerosols can serve as cloud 'seeds' and invigorate cloud development, but most scholars believe the negative impact dominates. Overall, a 2019 study found that hurricane activity increased in the North Atlantic with reduced dust loads. I remember visiting Puerto Rico during my time at NASA. One topic that came up was related to African dust. I was told that the dust from African can be quite helpful in fertilizing soil and beach-building in places like the Caribbean Islands and parts of Amazonia. However, studies have also indicated that the dust can cause health problems ranging from upper respiratory issues to allergies. During a 2024 dust outbreak, the Caribbean Public Health Agency issued a press release that warned, 'Saharan dust worsens air quality and increases the levels of particulate matter in the air. This can be hazardous, especially to small children, older adults and people with underlying lung conditions and chronic cardiopulmonary diseases.' Additionally, at least one study found that harmful bacteria can often 'catch a ride' in the SAL plumes too. Thanks to physics, the African dust can make for brilliant sunrises or sunsets. Because of the way light scatters with larger dust particles when the sun is low on the horizon, the longer wavelengths in the color spectrum like reds and oranges are quite vibrant. Hopefully, you can enjoy clear skies (and avoid "dirty rainfall) so that you can see one of the awesome sunsets or sunrises.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
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. 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.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
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. — 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.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Massive Saharan dust plume is heading for Florida
Saharan dust is heading toward Florida and could be seen over the state by this weekend, radar shows. Dust is forecast to hit south and central Florida on Saturday and stay for at least several days, according to CBS Miami's NEXT Weather radar. Computer models show that after an initial dust wave, a larger and denser plume could be seen in Florida by the middle of next week, CBS Orlando affiliate WKMG reports. Radar also shows dust over south Texas on Monday. Saharan dust was already seen in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands this week, the National Weather Service in San Juan reported on Tuesday. It noted dust impacts included reduced visibility and hazy skies, and said more dust is forecast to move in Saturday and linger through at least Tuesday. Satellite imagery showed dust above most of the Atlantic's tropical waters on Thursday — spanning all the way from Africa's coast to the Gulf, the National Hurricane Center's Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch said in a post on X. It noted that the dry air suppresses the development of storms. Hurricane season officially starts on Sunday. It is typical for dust to move across the Atlantic every year in early summer, WKMG reports. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says it is called the Saharan Air Layer, which is "a mass of very dry, dusty air that forms over the Sahara Desert during the late spring, summer and early fall." Its activity usually "ramps up" in the middle of June before peaking from late in the month to the middle of August, meteorologist Jason Dunion told NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service back in 2020. New "outbreaks" — formed when "ripples" in the atmosphere along the edge of the Sahara Desert kick up dust — can occur every few days and reach as far west as Florida and Texas. Dust sometimes covers areas over the Atlantic as large as the continental United States, Dunion said. The National Weather service said the dust can impact allergies and lead to eye irritation. SpaceX loses contact with its Starship, spins out of control Sneak peek: My Mother's Murder Trials - Part 1 Latest Israeli proposal includes Hamas hostage release timing, temporary ceasefire, official says
