HOUSTON – A massive plume of dust from the Sahara Desert in Africa is bound for Texas.
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What we know:
Models from FOX Weather show a batch of dusty air moving across the Caribbean Sea and into the Gulf of America over the weekend. The highest concentration of dust is expected in Texas on Monday and Tuesday before it dissipates.
(FOX Weather)
Big picture view:
June is generally the most common time of the year for Saharan dust in Texas. That’s usually when high heat in the desert lifts tons of dust into the atmosphere. Air currents carry the dirt particles across the Atlantic and deposit them in the Western Hemisphere.
Why you should care:
When dust is present, skies take on a hazy, milky look during the day. It can also create vivid sunrises and sunsets, as well as impact air quality.
If rain falls through the dust, it can create so-called “blood rain” – a dirty mess left behind on cars and other surfaces after the raindrops evaporate.
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A massive cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the Caribbean as it heads to the U.S. with a size and concentration that experts say hasn’t been seen in half a century.(Credit: Alexander James via Storyful)
Dig deeper:
One plus of Saharan dust is that the air carrying it is extremely dry, which helps quash the development of tropical systems.
The dust also provides essential nutrients to plant life in the Western Hemisphere.
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