Latest news with #SaharanAirLayer
New York Post
3 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
4 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.
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- Climate
- The Advertiser
Sahara dust cloud smothers Caribbean, approaches US
A massive cloud of dust from the Sahara desert has blanketed most of the Caribbean in the biggest event of its kind this year as it heads toward the United States. The cloud extended about 3200km from Jamaica to well past Barbados in the eastern Caribbean, and 1200km from the Turks and Caicos Islands in the northern Caribbean down south to Trinidad and Tobago. "It's very impressive," said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert with AccuWeather. The hazy skies unleashed sneezes, coughs and watery eyes across the Caribbean, with local forecasters warning that those with allergies, asthma and other conditions should remain indoors or wear face masks if outdoors. The dust concentration was high, at .55 aerosol optical depth, the highest amount so far this year, said Yidiana Zayas, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aerosol optical depth measures how much direct sunlight is prevented from reaching the ground by particles, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The plume is expected to hit Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi late this week and into the weekend, DaSilva said. However, plumes usually lose most of their concentration in the eastern Caribbean, he noted. "Those islands tend to see more of an impact, more of a concentration where it can actually block out the sun a little bit at times," he said. The dry and dusty air known as the Saharan Air Layer forms over the Sahara desert in Africa and moves west across the Atlantic Ocean starting around April until about October, according to NOAA. It also prevents tropical waves from forming during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30. In June 2020, a record-breaking cloud of Sahara dust smothered the Caribbean. The size and concentration of the plume had not been seen in half a century, prompting forecasters to nickname it the "Godzilla dust cloud". A massive cloud of dust from the Sahara desert has blanketed most of the Caribbean in the biggest event of its kind this year as it heads toward the United States. The cloud extended about 3200km from Jamaica to well past Barbados in the eastern Caribbean, and 1200km from the Turks and Caicos Islands in the northern Caribbean down south to Trinidad and Tobago. "It's very impressive," said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert with AccuWeather. The hazy skies unleashed sneezes, coughs and watery eyes across the Caribbean, with local forecasters warning that those with allergies, asthma and other conditions should remain indoors or wear face masks if outdoors. The dust concentration was high, at .55 aerosol optical depth, the highest amount so far this year, said Yidiana Zayas, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aerosol optical depth measures how much direct sunlight is prevented from reaching the ground by particles, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The plume is expected to hit Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi late this week and into the weekend, DaSilva said. However, plumes usually lose most of their concentration in the eastern Caribbean, he noted. "Those islands tend to see more of an impact, more of a concentration where it can actually block out the sun a little bit at times," he said. The dry and dusty air known as the Saharan Air Layer forms over the Sahara desert in Africa and moves west across the Atlantic Ocean starting around April until about October, according to NOAA. It also prevents tropical waves from forming during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30. In June 2020, a record-breaking cloud of Sahara dust smothered the Caribbean. The size and concentration of the plume had not been seen in half a century, prompting forecasters to nickname it the "Godzilla dust cloud". A massive cloud of dust from the Sahara desert has blanketed most of the Caribbean in the biggest event of its kind this year as it heads toward the United States. The cloud extended about 3200km from Jamaica to well past Barbados in the eastern Caribbean, and 1200km from the Turks and Caicos Islands in the northern Caribbean down south to Trinidad and Tobago. "It's very impressive," said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert with AccuWeather. The hazy skies unleashed sneezes, coughs and watery eyes across the Caribbean, with local forecasters warning that those with allergies, asthma and other conditions should remain indoors or wear face masks if outdoors. The dust concentration was high, at .55 aerosol optical depth, the highest amount so far this year, said Yidiana Zayas, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aerosol optical depth measures how much direct sunlight is prevented from reaching the ground by particles, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The plume is expected to hit Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi late this week and into the weekend, DaSilva said. However, plumes usually lose most of their concentration in the eastern Caribbean, he noted. "Those islands tend to see more of an impact, more of a concentration where it can actually block out the sun a little bit at times," he said. The dry and dusty air known as the Saharan Air Layer forms over the Sahara desert in Africa and moves west across the Atlantic Ocean starting around April until about October, according to NOAA. It also prevents tropical waves from forming during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30. In June 2020, a record-breaking cloud of Sahara dust smothered the Caribbean. The size and concentration of the plume had not been seen in half a century, prompting forecasters to nickname it the "Godzilla dust cloud". A massive cloud of dust from the Sahara desert has blanketed most of the Caribbean in the biggest event of its kind this year as it heads toward the United States. The cloud extended about 3200km from Jamaica to well past Barbados in the eastern Caribbean, and 1200km from the Turks and Caicos Islands in the northern Caribbean down south to Trinidad and Tobago. "It's very impressive," said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert with AccuWeather. The hazy skies unleashed sneezes, coughs and watery eyes across the Caribbean, with local forecasters warning that those with allergies, asthma and other conditions should remain indoors or wear face masks if outdoors. The dust concentration was high, at .55 aerosol optical depth, the highest amount so far this year, said Yidiana Zayas, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aerosol optical depth measures how much direct sunlight is prevented from reaching the ground by particles, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The plume is expected to hit Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi late this week and into the weekend, DaSilva said. However, plumes usually lose most of their concentration in the eastern Caribbean, he noted. "Those islands tend to see more of an impact, more of a concentration where it can actually block out the sun a little bit at times," he said. The dry and dusty air known as the Saharan Air Layer forms over the Sahara desert in Africa and moves west across the Atlantic Ocean starting around April until about October, according to NOAA. It also prevents tropical waves from forming during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30. In June 2020, a record-breaking cloud of Sahara dust smothered the Caribbean. The size and concentration of the plume had not been seen in half a century, prompting forecasters to nickname it the "Godzilla dust cloud".
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Time of India
A colossal cloud of Sahara dust is smothering the Caribbean en route to the US
A colossal cloud of Sahara dust is smothering the Caribbean en route to the US (Representative image) SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO: A massive cloud of dust from the Sahara Desert blanketed most of the Caribbean on Monday in the biggest event of its kind this year as it heads toward the United States. The cloud extended some 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) from Jamaica to well past Barbados in the eastern Caribbean, and some 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) from the Turks and Caicos Islands in the northern Caribbean down south to Trinidad and Tobago. "It's very impressive," said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert with AccuWeather. The hazy skies unleashed sneezes, coughs and watery eyes across the Caribbean, with local forecasters warning that those with allergies, asthma and other conditions should remain indoors or wear face masks if outdoors. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo The dust concentration was high, at 55 aerosol optical depth, the highest amount so far this year, said Yidiana Zayas, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aerosol optical depth measures how much direct sunlight is prevented from reaching the ground by particles, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The plume is expected to hit Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi late this week and into the weekend, DaSilva said. However, plumes usually lose most of their concentration in the eastern Caribbean, he noted. "Those islands tend to see more of an impact, more of a concentration where it can actually block out the sun a little bit at times," he said. The dry and dusty air known as the Saharan Air Layer forms over the Sahara Desert in Africa and moves west across the Atlantic Ocean starting around April until about October, according to NOAA. It also prevents tropical waves from forming during the Atlantic hurricane season , which runs June 1 to Nov. 30. June and July usually have the highest dust concentration on average, with plumes traveling anywhere from 5,000 feet to 20,000 feet above the ground, DaSilva said. In June 2020, a record-breaking cloud of Sahara dust smothered the Caribbean. The size and concentration of the plume hadn't been seen in half a century, prompting forecasters to nickname it the "Godzilla dust cloud."
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
A colossal cloud of Sahara dust is smothering the Caribbean en route to the US
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A massive cloud of dust from the Sahara Desert blanketed most of the Caribbean on Monday in the biggest event of its kind this year as it heads toward the United States. The cloud extended some 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) from Jamaica to well past Barbados in the eastern Caribbean, and some 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) from the Turks and Caicos Islands in the northern Caribbean down south to Trinidad and Tobago. 'It's very impressive,' said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert with AccuWeather. The hazy skies unleashed sneezes, coughs and watery eyes across the Caribbean, with local forecasters warning that those with allergies, asthma and other conditions should remain indoors or wear face masks if outdoors. The dust concentration was high, at .55 aerosol optical depth, the highest amount so far this year, said Yidiana Zayas, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aerosol optical depth measures how much direct sunlight is prevented from reaching the ground by particles, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The plume is expected to hit Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi late this week and into the weekend, DaSilva said. However, plumes usually lose most of their concentration in the eastern Caribbean, he noted. 'Those islands tend to see more of an impact, more of a concentration where it can actually block out the sun a little bit at times,' he said. The dry and dusty air known as the Saharan Air Layer forms over the Sahara Desert in Africa and moves west across the Atlantic Ocean starting around April until about October, according to NOAA. It also prevents tropical waves from forming during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to Nov. 30. June and July usually have the highest dust concentration on average, with plumes traveling anywhere from 5,000 feet to 20,000 feet above the ground, DaSilva said. In June 2020, a record-breaking cloud of Sahara dust smothered the Caribbean. The size and concentration of the plume hadn't been seen in half a century, prompting forecasters to nickname it the 'Godzilla dust cloud.'
