Weather

Saharan dust spotted over Jacksonville skies

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Have you noticed the haze over Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia lately?

Saharan dust from Africa has made it all the way across the Atlantic Ocean into our skies overhead.

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Some of the dust reaches as far as Texas and Arizona.

Besides the slight discoloration in the sky, dust may have an impact on allergies for some sufferers.

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But the most spectacular difference the dust makes is with sunrises and sunsets. The haze adds color as the sun rises and sets.

The First Alert Weather Team says that dust may actually be to thank for the lack of tropical development thus far in the Atlantic.

Dust can suppress tropical development in a few ways:

  • Dry air is associated with dust – hurricanes don't like dry air.
  • Dust usually has fast-moving air with it, or wind shear. Wind shear works to tear apart hurricanes.
  • Scientists believe dust actually hurts cloud formation, and you need clouds to have hurricanes.