WEDNESDAY MIDDAY UPDATE
The dust has arrived to the Caribbean Sea and southern Gulf of Mexico. Light southerly winds will carry this cloud northward to the Gulf Coast by Thursday, arriving in the Ozarks by Friday.
SAHARAN DUST
During the months of June and July, thunderstorms typically across North Africa kick up large amounts of sand from the Sahara Desert. Trade winds then carry this dust westbound towards North America. While the majority of the dusty stays higher up in the atmosphere, but some of the sand is able to fall to the ground and helps to replenish beaches in Florida and throughout the Caribbean.
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL WITH THIS ROUND?
This dust cloud is thicker and larger than normal. The aerosol optical thickness is a higher (registering near 1.5 nm in the Caribbean), which means skies across the tropics have blocked out some of the sun and created a brown/gray hue to the sky. Air quality has been reduced which makes it difficult for those with respiratory problems.
For Arkansas, air quality may decrease a bit but the biggest noticeable difference will be a more red sky at sunrise and sunset.
WHEN WILL IT REACH ARKANSAS?
The horizon will start to look redder and browner by Friday evening. The dust won't move overhead until Saturday. The plume of dust will weaken and breakup overtime as it winds across the Plains help disperse the dust.
-5NEWS Weather