A large plume of Saharan dust is moving over the Atlantic and will impact Florida from Wednesday through the weekend. The Saharan Air Layer consists of extremely dry, dusty air that originates over the Sahara Desert before moving across the ocean.
Health Impacts
Hazy skies will degrade air quality across Florida and the Tampa Bay region from Thursday into early next week. People with allergies or respiratory health conditions should track local air quality levels and limit extended outdoor activities. Running a HEPA air filter inside the home can provide relief on days with poor air quality.
On a brighter note, the atmospheric dust particles scatter sunlight to produce exceptionally vibrant, vivid red, orange and pink sunrises and sunsets.
Atlantic Hurricane Suppression
The dry airmass directly alters tropical weather patterns by choking off the moisture sources that fuel severe storms. These conditions suppress thunderstorms and effectively smother hurricanes before they have a chance to form.
Original reporting: Tampa Bay Florida News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
