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Pros of Saharan dust making its way into Texas: epic sunsets. The cons? Terrible allergies.
Hazy skies are forecast for parts of Texas as layers of Saharan dust were airlifted from the Sahara and moved toward the United States over the weekend, according to MySanAntonio. Low concentrations of dust have been reported by the National Weather Service in Austin and San Antonio, but other parts of Texas including Houston and Dallas can see higher amounts through Thursday. The dust is expected to clear by the weekend.
These conditions are common for this time of the year, as 100 million tons of dust from the Sahara Desert blows over to the north Atlantic Ocean every year between June and August, MySanAntonio reported, citing NASA.
"The Saharan Air Layer is a mass of very dry, dusty air that forms over the Sahara Desert in Africa during the late spring, summer and early fall, and moves over the tropical North Atlantic every three to five days. The dust can reach South Central Texas," according to the National Weather Service.
Air quality across parts of Texas have been deemed "unhealthy for sensitive groups," AKA those with allergies and lung conditions. On the other hand, this dust can create some pretty awesome sunsets. More good news? Saharan dust could "hinder the development of tropical disturbances" in the Gulf of Mexico, according to Chron.
Visit airnow.gov for current conditions and local forecasts.