Blame South Florida’s haze on Saharan dust 

July 7, 2015    Sun Sentinel         by Ken Kaye

A satellite image showing how Saharan dust has spread across the Atlantic. (NASA/Courtesy). The dust covered area is much larger than the entire Continental US territory.

All the haze shrouding South Florida this week may not be great for your health, but it has a major benefit: It helps stymie hurricanes and tropical storms.

The haze actually is Saharan dust that wafted more than 4,000 miles from Africa, and abnormally heavy concentrations currently are blanketing the main region of the Atlantic where storms develop. The dust, which peaks this month, denies the systems of their lifeblood – heat and moisture.
In South Florida, the dust is expected to remain thick, possibly for the rest of the week. It has lowered air quality from the good to moderate range, said Monica Pognon, natural resource specialist for Broward County.

Anyone who works outside for any length of time also should be careful because of the combination of dust and high heat, added Tim O’Connor, spokesman for the Palm Beach County Department of Health. “All of this kind of plays together,” he said.

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kkaye@tribpub.com or 561-243-6530.                                   Copyright © 2015, Sun Sentinel

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