The dust concentration is not currently shown to reach very dangerous levels, but the latest forecasts have slowly increased the predicted dust amount over the United States.”. Any reproduction, copying, or redistribution (electronic or otherwise, including the world wide web), of content from this webpage, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of American Truth Today. When smoke and dust are present in the upper atmosphere, the colors of the sunset are enhanced to look even deeper and darker in color. Tiny dust particles help to create more scattering in the upper atmosphere, which aids in creating especially vibrant sunsets. As the sun sets lower in the sky the light must travel through more of the atmosphere, which in turn filters out the shorter wavelength light, such as blue, green, and purple. One study, published last November in the journal JGR: Atmospheres, suggests more dust has been transported out of the Sahara in the last 100 years than in centuries past. The annual event means hazy skies, possible poor air quality, and extra vibrant sunsets for those regions. Amazing how large an area it covers! CHICAGO (WLS) -- A large plume of African dust is heading towards the United States - and could hit Chicago as soon as this weekend. In the winter, it typically kicks dust plumes down to South America. Saharan Dust Forecast to Surge Into the Southern U.S. Next Week. All Rights Reserved. "We named it in the late 1960s the 'Saharan air layer.'". It occurs every summer,” according to NWS meteorologist Patrick Blood. This particular plume is among the most extreme on record, scientists have noted. The Saharan Air Layer is between 5,000 and 20,000 feet above the Earth's surface, and dust plumes travel over the Atlantic Ocean several times a year between spring and fall. With the Saharan dust being red and orange, the reflection will lead to bright, colorful sunsets and sunrises. The North African dust storm is an annual occurrence - however this year it’s the most dense it’s been in more than 50 years according to meteorologists, which some have dubbed the “Godzilla dust cloud.”. This weekend it will descend on Florida, moving west into Texas and into North Carolina through Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). One, it’s got super-dry air. Powered by. They've produced mixed results. Or they might have a bigger influence on ocean ecosystems. There are a number of reasons why. Saharan Dust Plume Slams U.S., Kicking Up Climate Questions. Another scientist at NASA Langley Research Center, Syed Ismail said, “We think that dust aerosols can affect tropical disturbances, sometimes even kill those disturbances. GettyA member of the local civil protection security wearing a face mask patrols a beach in Lloret de Mar on June 22, 2020 as beaches reopen in Spain following a national lockdown to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. We call that vertical wind shear. Meteorologists say the hazy skies could last into the weekend. 3,500 Mile-Long “Godzilla Dust Cloud” Will Hit US Southeast Within Hours By Jim Hayek June 26, 2020 A giant dust cloud which has traveled 5,000 miles from North Africa is touching down on the US Southeast this weekend, and will cause a brown haze and raising respiratory health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to Reuters. Modeling studies have produced mixed results, some implying that they might become more intense and others suggesting the opposite. Hurricanes don’t like dry air in the middle parts of the atmosphere, and that’s exactly what the Saharan Air Layer has. GettyHurricane Dorian, a Cat. Astronaut Col. Doug Hurley tweeted a photo of the dust plume from space, saying, “We flew over this Saharan dust plume today in the west-central Atlantic. Dr. Anoop Nambiar, a pulmonologist at UT Health San Antonio told Texas Public Radio in 2018, “The patients who are going to be most susceptible are really going to be young children — I would also say older adults — but even more so, patients who have chronic problems like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and interstitial lung disease, which is also sometimes referred to as pulmonary fibrosis.”. The gyre often shifts positions in the ocean, depending on the season. It also affects tropical conditions where hurricanes form. Each year tiny dust particles are picked up by winds that carry them 5,000 miles west toward the Caribbean and the Americas. In the United States, they may get caught up in systems of westerly winds that scatter them over the East Coast. A number of recent studies have attempted to investigate the links between climate change and Saharan dust storms. That can cause sea surface temperatures to temporarily cool, making conditions less favorable for storms. That's not necessarily always a good thing. However, Nambiar also said you don’t have to have an underlying condition for the dust to make you feel sick or lethargic or give you a runny nose and congestion. Dust particles are also less effective than other kinds of aerosols at helping clouds to form in the atmosphere, he added. Still, this week's massive event may have drawn more attention to the question — or, at the very least, to the phenomenon of dust plumes in general. Here's the #SNPP #OMPS aerosol index for the past 7 days. Joseph Prospero, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Miami. #SAL #DUST pic.twitter.com/FBwOG5ly1E, — Mark Sudduth (@hurricanetrack) June 21, 2020. There, the dust cloud often encounters a system of westward-moving trade winds. There's some debate among scientists about whether these traveling dust clouds might be affected by future climate change. But it's clear they can have a substantial influence on their surroundings as long as they persist. Get access to our comprehensive, daily coverage of energy and environmental politics and policy. In general, Saharan dust plumes actually happen all the time — the Sahara Desert has an endless supply of dust for winds to carry across the Atlantic Ocean. But otherwise, dust plumes are thought to prevent new hurricanes from forming in the ocean as they move over the water. It can also affect air quality in North and South America.”. Ok, last dust pic for today and this one is perhaps the most incredible yet. According to Prospero, the hot, dry Saharan air layer can inhibit the formation of clouds or tear apart any clouds that get sucked into it. Dust inhibits convection, the process of moisture rising to the higher levels of the atmosphere, and then precipitating as rain. This year, the dust is the most dense it has been in a half a century, several meteorologists told Reuters earlier this week as it crossed over the Caribbean. Skies in affected states are expected to be hazy with reduced visibility, along with a blanketing of dust. The essential news for energy & environment professionals, © 1996-2020 Environment & Energy Publishing, LLC The #SaharanDust cloud continues its march across the #Atlantic over to the Americas. Hot air rises through the atmosphere as it builds up, sometimes climbing more than 4 miles into the air. The same theories come from NASA’s Earth Data. The winds then carry this layer of hot, dry, dusty air across the Atlantic Ocean. Whether these plumes—which can dampen hurricane activity and irritate lungs—will become more common with warming is unclear But it doesn’t stop there. A Saharan dust plume seen last week by the NOAA-20 satellite. Severe Weather Europe reports that the dust plume will be in the Gulf of Mexico by Thursday and in parts of the south by the weekend. American Truth Today © 2020. According to the Weather Channel, the gigantic dust cloud can weaken tropical cyclones because its dry air can create downdrafts, or sinking air, and the strong winds associated with the SAL “make the environment hostile for tropical cyclone development.”. Saharan dust can also impact you in several ways once it reaches land. As the dust cloud moves over landmasses in the Caribbean and the Americas, it can also significantly alter local air quality. Still other studies have suggested that Saharan dust events may decrease in the future as a result of entirely different factors. pic.twitter.com/lDWOlY97B2, — Colin Seftor (@colin_seftor) June 20, 2020. Dust clouds that make it as far as the Americas will eventually run into other weather systems that help break them apart. Here is what you need to know about Saharah Dust: The #SaharanDust cloud continues its march across the #Atlantic over to the Americas. People with chronic issues like COPD, asthma, or lung disease are likely to be more susceptible to inhaling the dust, according to Texas Public Radio. “In effect, the Caribbean Basin can be thought of as the ‘receptor’ site of the Saharan dust, according to a paper published by the American Meteorological Society. The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) consists of hundreds of millions of tons of dust that travel 5,000 to 20,000 feet above the earth’s surface, according to NASA. Some of these climate variables may also change as the world continues to warm, in ways that scientists are still investigating. Research has also linked Saharan dust plumes to various other natural climate variables, such as El Niño events. Florida May Be Next Epicenter of COVID-19 but Gov Says State ‘Not Shutting Down’. Where the dust cloud ultimately ends up may depend on the time of year, Logan noted. For instance, Saharan dust storms are thought to be one important source of phosphorus for plants in the Amazon rainforest. Some of these impacts can be felt, while some are seen. They may even affect tiny organisms in the ocean, which can help suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and into the water. As dust sprinkles out of the air, these nutrients may help fuel local ecosystems. READ NEXT: Florida May Be Next Epicenter of COVID-19 but Gov Says State ‘Not Shutting Down’, Saharan Dust Weather Forecast: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright © 2020 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. 1. Other experts have suggested that dust plumes may help fertilize the ocean with iron, feeding microorganisms in the water. Some studies have linked dust clouds to toxic bacterial and algal blooms in coastal areas. And its side effects are noticeable wherever it passes: hazy skies and brilliant sunsets, as well as potential respiratory irritation from all the extra dust in the air. The Weather Channel says it’s not known if or what role the dust plays where hurricanes are concerned, but some theorize that it may have impacts on cloud formation.
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