A vast cloud of Saharan dust—nearly the size of the lower 48 states—is making its way across the Atlantic and is expected to blanket the southeastern U.S. this week, creating hazy skies, higher temperatures, and lower air quality.
Although the storm will cause dramatic visuals and health advisories for those with respiratory sensitivities, the dust is not expected to disrupt travel or flight operations, according to experts at the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.
The NOAA office in Melbourne, Florida, reported a spike in calls Tuesday afternoon from residents worried about the cloudy horizon. According to lead meteorologist Brendan Schaper, the dust blanketed Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic in a sepia-toned veil triggering coughs and watery eyes starting on June 2 and is expected to linger over the next few days. The main body of the plume—officially known as the Saharan Air Layer (SAL)—reached the U.S. Atlantic Coast early in the morning on Wednesday, June 4.
“We expect to see hazy skies and maybe some lower visibility,” says Schaper, “that will continue through Thursday, then dissipate Friday.”
The phenomenon develops when tropical waves—disturbances in the lower to middle levels of the atmosphere—move along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, lifting massive quantities of dust into the air, according to the NOAA. And while it might look and feel apocalyptic, it’s more common than you may think.
“We see these fairly regularly this time of year as winds carry the dust west across the Atlantic,” he says. “It usually continues through July and early August before tapering off.”
Most of the time, the dust isn’t static, so there’s no major haze. However, this is a particularly large storm at roughly 2,000 miles wide, so the effects will be much more noticeable.
Saharan dust plumes don’t always follow this route through the Caribbean or the southeastern United States. The fine particles can travel thousands of miles, reaching as far as the Amazon Basin in South America and, on occasion, parts of Europe depending on the wind. In April 2024, a plume swept into Athens, Greece, turning the skyline an eerie shade of orange as low-pressure systems carried dust across the Mediterranean. Two months later, Florence, Italy, experienced a similar scenario, transforming the Renaissance city into what looked like a scene from Dune.
As it turns out, this cloud over the Caribbean and the USA is welcome news heading into hurricane season. Saharan dust storms, in many ways, act as a natural check on tropical cyclones—the dry air they carry can prevent storms from intensifying and help stabilize the atmosphere. “That super dry air will stifle some afternoon thunderstorms,” says Dr. Jason Dunion, a NOAA meteorologist and expert in SAL activity.
Still, the window of that positive effect may be brief. “This plume appears likely to hit a stalled boundary and begin dissipating near the Jacksonville area by Thursday night,” Schaper says. It will then peter out as it moves west.
At the NOAA office in Fort Worth, meteorologist Matt Bishop says the plume should have only a minor effect on Texas. “We’ll see some impact, but it’ll be comparable to what we experience with West Texas dust,” he says. For drivers, Bishop notes the conditions may resemble light fog, with reduced visibility during peak dust periods.
Air quality will be a concern from Florida to Texas over the next few days, particularly for individuals with respiratory conditions. However, Schaper emphasizes that the plume is not expected to affect flights or travel plans significantly. When asked for comment, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said, “Air traffic controllers work hard to mitigate the effects severe weather or natural disasters have on the flow of air travel. They may slow the flow of aircraft into an airport or hold flights bound for an airport.”
In the meantime, temperatures across the Southeast will likely rise because of the dust storm. “We can expect some pretty warm days ahead,” Dunion says.
But he adds that there’s also an upside to the heat. “The way these dust particles are shaped, they scatter the sunlight in a particular way,” Dunion says. “Look towards the sunrise and sunset. Sometimes in the morning, you’ll get a milky white haze, but the dust can also create especially vivid sunsets.”
