Dust from Sahara Desert blown towards parts of U.S.

Dust adds hazy look to sky

ROANOKE, Va. – Dust from the Sahara Desert has been traveling across the Atlantic into parts of the United States this weekend. There have been reports from meteorologists in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area of this happening Saturday.

This is not exactly rare, as dust within the Saharan Air Layer gets blown westward every few days. Stronger bursts of wind that go from east to west can sometimes transport this dust as far west as the United States.

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What this does is causes a hazy look to the sky. If more concentrated, it could cause problems for people with asthma or other respiratory issues. 

If you're wondering about our chances of seeing this, chances are slim.

The same high pressure system that is keeping things hot and humid is directing that layer of dusty, Saharan air into parts of the Plains and the Midwest.


About the Author

Meteorologist Chris Michaels is an American Meteorological Society (AMS) Certified Broadcaster, forecasting weather conditions in southwest Virginia on WSLS 10 News from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays on Virginia Today.

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