TYLER, TEXAS — You might see some haze in the skies over the next several days, but what is it? Believe it or not, but that haze is actually dust all the way from Africa! How did it get here and what does it mean for East Texas? We have you covered.
Where/How:
Well, as the name implies, this dust or haze comes from the Saharan Desert in the north of Africa. Multiple times per year winds push dust off the African continent and up over the Atlantic Ocean. This layer, called the SAL and standing for Saharan Air Layer, is pushed westward, and given the right wind pattern, can make its way into the continental US. That's where we find ourselves as we end the last full week of June.
What Does It Mean?:
The dust in the atmosphere can mean several things, but for the most part it should not be overly impactful for East Texas. First, those with respiratory problems or asthma, should be aware that air quality will be slightly degraded over the next several days. Here in Tyler and Longview things should be fine Thursday, but further to the south air quality will be of moderate concern. Air quality levels are forecast to be at moderate, mostly related to particles in the air, from Friday through Sunday for the entirety of East Texas.
As far as any other impacts go, the dust in the atmosphere could lead to some extra photogenic sunrises and sunsets, so keep your cameras ready to send us any pictures that you may take. The dust has also been known to weaken chances at tropical development or thunderstorms on a given day, but with no strong chances for either of those over the next several days, it is not likely to change our forecast in the region. Finally, NASA does say that dust can sometimes lead to the creation of toxic algae blooms in the Gulf of Mexico due to the fertilizing nature of the dust. While that has not been reported as of now, we will keep our eyes out for it.
Overall the impact to East Texas should be minimal, but if you are wondering what is different in the skies over the next few days, the answer is likely dust.
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