TYLER, Texas — It's on its way!
Saharan Dust is set to arrive in the East Texas area over the weekend and hang around through the end of next. While it may sound sound worrisome, it is a phrase that should hold no concern as this event happens nearly every year.
According tot CBS19 Chief Meteorologist Brett Anthony, Saharan Dust normally occurs in late summer or early fall, but this year, the Saharan Dust Layer is occurring ahead of schedule.
So, what is Saharan Dust?
Well, it's a dust cloud that forms due to storms in the African Sahel region which borders the Sahara desert. The trade winds then send plumes of dust across the Atlantic Ocean and into the Gulf of Mexico.
Satellites in the CBS19 Weather Center pick up the activity when the dust layer is thick. The proper name for tracking this thickness is Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT). Check out the graphic below that shows what the dust layer looks like from space.
The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) is the tan shaded area off the west coast of Africa. This is the layer, or air, driving the dust plume across the Atlantic and lies about a mile above the surface. The SAL stays there due in part to strong winds, very dry air and very warm temperatures.
These elevated dust clouds can suppress tropical storm and hurricane development in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Using the same AOT data, we are able to forecast where the SAL is headed.
One dust plume is forecast to arrive into parts of East Texas by the weekend.
If you are sensitive to air quality, you may notice some added difficulty in breathing and some of us will experience enhanced allergies.
The dust doesn't pose any serious threat, but, on occasions, Saharan Dust can suppress thunderstorm development, which can cause the sky to remain hazy for days and lead to hotter temperatures.
While it can be a nuisance for some, it will make for some colorful sunrises and sunsets.
Snap a picture and send it to the CBS19 Weather team via text at (903) 600-2600 or email it to weather@cbs19.tv.
