Florida weather: Saharan dust brings poor air quality
TAMPA, Fla. - A massive plume of Saharan dust drifting across the Atlantic Ocean will blanket Florida on Wednesday, threatening local air quality while suppressing regional tropical activity.
Florida dust arrival
What we know:
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.
This specific layer sits one mile above the surface and carries about 50% less moisture than a normal tropical airmass.
These plumes regularly leave the African coast between June and August, traveling roughly 4,000 miles to reach Florida and the Gulf Coast.
Bay Area health impacts
Why you should care:
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
Big picture view:
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.
Additionally, the dust blocks sunlight from warming ocean waters in the Main Development Region, which stretches from Africa to the Caribbean Islands.
Because of this environmental barrier, hurricanes rarely establish themselves in this specific portion of the Atlantic early in the hurricane season.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from meteorological reports tracking the Atlantic atmosphere, which detailed the timeline of the plume and explained how dry air suppresses tropical tracking systems.