Plumes of Saharan dust from the northern coast of Africa are drifting over the Atlantic Ocean and could head toward the Gulf of Mexico this weekend.
Often referred to as the "Saharan Air Layer," the dust drifts from the Sahara Desert almost every summer, with its peak time frame hitting late June until early-to-mid August, when it starts dying down, according to National Weather Service forecaster Christopher Bannan.
This annual occurrence can cause bad air quality, threatening sensitive groups and causing hazy skies. But on the bright side, it also can lower tropical activity in the Atlantic, and help to create vivid, picturesque sunsets.
In extreme cases, the Saharan Dust Layer will stretch all the way into the Gulf of Mexico.
Episodes, or surges, of the Saharan dust moving away from the desert happen every three to 5 days, Bannan said. The first big episode occurred last Thursday, moving dust from the coast of Africa to the Central Caribbean. Heavy winds blew the second surge toward the Atlantic Sunday.
It is difficult to determine the probability of this dust reaching the Gulf in upcoming days, forecasters say, considering it solely depends on the movement of winds. However, dust traveling over the Gulf is very possible.
As of Tuesday afternoon, a surge was moving toward the Caribbean islands, Bannan said. This location makes it possible for it to spread out and drift north, allowing the plumes to infiltrate the Gulf and impact Louisiana and Texas.
As the dust drifts across the ocean nd away from the Sahara, it can also play a role is hampering tropical activity.
Warm, moist air is a key ingredient to the formation of a hurricane. The Saharan Air Layer is dry and dusty and makes it harder for tropical disturbances to develop into hurricanes.
Brennan said that while the layer keeps activity down, it does not stop the possibility of hurricane formation altogether, especially since the dust tends to slow down during the peak of the Atlantic season.
If the dust makes its way to Louisiana and causes bad air quality, sensitive groups, including people with breathing issues, are encouraged to limit their time outside and choose less to do less strenuous physical activities.
