Massive Saharan dust clouds to approach Florida, Gulf
Two large Saharan dust clouds are headed west from Africa towards the United States.
It’s Saharan dust season in the Atlantic, when massive clouds of dust from Africa’s Sahara Desert are carried westward by wind, sometimes reaching all the way to the United States.
Where is the dust now?
Satellite photos showed thick dust extending off the coast of Africa on Wednesday morning, with a second swath of lighter dust over the Caribbean.
When will the dust hit the United States?
A NASA forecast model shows a cloud of dust landing in southern Florida on Saturday and a larger cloud covering the state around Wednesday, June 4. While the first dust cloud is expected to dissipate before it reaches the rest of the Gulf Coast, the entire Gulf Coast could be affected by atmospheric dust late next week.
AccuWeather meteorologists say most of the dust is likely to stay aloft rather than fall to the ground, which is good news for health concerns, but it can cause colorful sunrises and sunsets in Florida over the next week.
How does the dust affect tropical storms in the Atlantic?
Significant amounts of dust can inhibit tropical storm formation, or the strengthening of an existing system, because the dusty air has about 50% less moisture than the typical tropical atmosphere.
Strong winds in the dust layer can also substantially increase the vertical wind shear in and around the storm environment, potentially disrupting any storm that forms.
Despite the dust, AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring the Atlantic for tropical storm development over the next couple of weeks, spanning into the beginning of Atlantic hurricane season.
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