A Large Saharan Dust Plume is Now Making a 5,000 Mile Trek Across the Atlantic to the United States
Well, ladies and gentlemen, we have the next installment. Three words for you: Saharan dust plume.
It turns out the Saharan dust plume will now be making its way more than 5,000 miles from the Saharan desert, across the Atlantic, all the way to the United States. The plume is expected to begin Wednesday, June 24 in the southeast and travel west from there.
“Large plumes of Saharan dust routinely track into the Atlantic Ocean from late spring into early fall,” explains CNN meteorologist Haley Brink. “Every so often, when the dust plume is large enough and trade winds set up just right, the dust can travel thousands of miles across the Atlantic and into the US.”
Sure, it’s not totally out of the ordinary, but of course, this is the year it will be occurring!
So what exactly can you expect from a dust plume like this? When it reaches your area, you’ll notice that the once blue sky will turn into a milky haze—that’s all those Saharan dust particles thousands of feet in the air. Additionally, there will likely be much less tropical activity in the Atlantic.
There are actually some pretty cool parts to this dust plume, too! During sunrise and sunset, the dust does some magical, picturesque things, so be sure to get outside with your camera and snap some photos.
However, all that dust might not be so great for your health. If you have allergies, check out the video below to learn what you can expect (hint: grab those tissues!).
Did you know about the Saharan dust plume coming our way? Have you ever seen a dust plume before? Will you be snapping photos or staying inside away from all the particles?
