A colossal dust cloud originating from the Sahara Desert has swept across the Caribbean region, presenting the most significant phenomenon of its type to date this year as it progresses towards the United States.
The expansive cloud spans approximately 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers), stretching from Jamaica beyond Barbados in the eastern Caribbean. It extends 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) from the Turks and Caicos in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south.
“It’s quite remarkable,” remarked Alex DaSilva, a leading hurricane expert associated with AccuWeather.
The dense, dusty atmosphere has provoked sneezing, coughing, and watery eyes throughout the Caribbean. Local meteorologists are advising those with conditions like asthma and allergies to stay indoors or wear face masks if going outside.
Yidiana Zayas, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico, noted the dust levels are at .55 aerosol optical depth, the highest measure recorded thus far this year.
The aerosol optical depth indicates the extent to which airborne particles block sunlight from reaching the Earth’s surface, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Projections suggest the dust plume will reach Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi later this week, continuing into the weekend, DaSilva added.
Yet, typically, such dust plumes lose much of their density in the eastern Caribbean, he observed.
“Islands in those areas usually experience a greater effect; the concentration can become so high that it sometimes dims the sun,” he explained.
This dry, dust-laden air, termed the Saharan Air Layer, originates in Africa’s Sahara Desert and travels west across the Atlantic from April through October. NOAA reports it inhibits the development of tropical waves during the Atlantic hurricane season, spanning from June 1 to November 30.
Dust concentrations peak typically in June and July, with plumes reaching altitudes between 5,000 feet and 20,000 feet, stated DaSilva.
In June 2020, an unprecedented Saharan dust cloud enveloped the Caribbean. The scale and density of that plume were unprecedented in 50 years, leading meteorologists to dub it the “Godzilla dust cloud.”