US EditionA colossal cloud of Sahara dust is smothering the Caribbean en route to the US
- On Monday, a large plume of Saharan dust spread across much of the Caribbean region near San Juan, Puerto Rico, before moving toward the United States.
- The Saharan Air Layer, a dust plume originating over the Sahara Desert, travels westward over the Atlantic Ocean from April through October, with the greatest dust levels typically occurring in June and July.
- This dust cloud extended about 2,000 miles from Jamaica past Barbados and 750 miles from Turks and Caicos to Trinidad and Tobago, reaching heights between 5,000 and 20,000 feet.
- Forecasters reported that this year's largest dust event featured an aerosol optical depth measurement of 0.55, marking a record concentration to date, which led to health advisories and earned the nickname 'Godzilla dust cloud.'
- The dust plume is projected to move over parts of the Gulf Coast, including states such as Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, toward the end of this week, which may inhibit the development of tropical waves during hurricane season and lead to hazy conditions that could affect breathing.
69 Articles
69 Articles
News & Record
Winston-Salem JournalWill Saharan dust cloud reach Greensboro, Winston-Salem?
The cloud is causing elevated particle pollution in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, and could reach the Triad this weekend depending on weather systems.
2,000-mile wide Saharan dust cloud drifts toward Southern US
A thick haze has blanketed parts of the Caribbean this week as a cloud of Saharan dust thousands of miles wide drifts west across the Atlantic, on track to reach the southern United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration identifies the phenomenon as the Saharan Air Layer, a dry, dusty mass that typically forms over the Sahara Desert and travels thousands of miles between April and October. When will the dust arrive? On Tue…
Colorado Springs Gazette
Denver GazetteMassive plume from Sahara Desert heads to US
A dust cloud from the Sahara Desert blanketing regions from Jamaica to the eastern Caribbean is expected to reach Florida and the Gulf region of the United States this week. The cloud, also called a dust plume, extended around 2,000…
Colossal Cloud of Sahara Dust Is Smothering the Caribbean En Route to the US
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 from Jamaica to well past Barbados in the eastern Caribbean, and some 750 miles from the Turks and Caicos Islands in the northern Caribbean down south to Trinidad and Tobago. “It’s very impressive,” said Alex DaSilva, lea…
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