Overview

• The plume, currently smothering the Caribbean, is forecast to arrive in South Florida by Wednesday and spread across Alabama, Mississippi and Texas by the weekend.
• Air quality alerts are in effect from Florida to Louisiana, with people who have asthma, allergies or other respiratory conditions urged to limit outdoor exposure and consider masks.
• Meteorologists warn the Saharan Air Layer’s dry, dust-laden air can inhibit tropical cyclone formation by reducing atmospheric moisture and increasing wind shear.
• Dust particles will create hazy skies and enhance red and orange hues at sunrise and sunset throughout the Southeast.
• Scientists measured this event’s aerosol optical depth at 0.55—the highest of the season—underscoring its intensity and its potential to deposit nutrient-rich minerals across land and ocean.