Published 21:23 IST, June 22nd 2020

NASA observes huge Saharan Dust Plume over Atlantic Ocean heading to US

Visible on satellite imagery, brown sheen of Saharan Dust is fast spreading on African coast and is so dense that it blurs the visible lines between continents.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
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A massive drift of Saharan dust plume is making a journey of more than 5,000-miles in rrn Africa across tropical Atlantic Ocean to United States. Visible on satellite imry,  brown sheen is fast spreing off African coast and is so dense that it blurs visible lines between continent and ocean. According to NASA’s published report and wear journal,  dust from Sahara Desert has surged into Caribbean Sea and it's expected to reach Gulf of Mexico and parts of United States this week. 

According to AA's Hurricane Research Division (HRD), this dry dust plume commonly forms from late spring through early fall and moves into tropical Atlantic Ocean every three to five days and is kwn as  Saharan Air Layer (SAL). As one of densest and stronger plumes, it formed and emerged off western Africa only last weekend and is expected to covering an area larger than contiguous United States and western Europe.

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“ Saharan Air Layer is typically located between 5,000 and 20,000 feet above Earth's surface. It is transported westward by bursts of strong winds and tropical waves located in central and western Atlantic Ocean at altitudes between 6,500 and 14,500 feet,”  AA's HRD wrote in a release on website.  

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NASA released  forecast as a GEOS-5 model showing dust plume that continues plowing westward through Caribbean Sea. As per National Wear Service in Houston,  Saharan dust combined with extremely high pressure could suppress thunderstorm chances near parts of Gulf Coast coming week, however, rainfall could le to some light amounts of dust on surfaces. Poor air quality is ar possible impact as plumes might result in worse air quality categorized as "unhealthy" as per reports.  

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Cyclone development intensity t kwn

According to AA, “SAL is most common during hurricane season, research has been done on how it can affect development of tropical storms and hurricanes.” While dry air can create downdrafts (sinking air) around tropical storms and hurricanes, AA said in report that strong winds can le to tropical cyclone development with its intensity t kwn. Here are pictures of dust plume development as shown in NASA satellite imry.

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(All Ims Credit: NASA)

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21:23 IST, June 22nd 2020