Overview
- The plume arrived over South and Central Florida on Thursday and is expected to linger through the weekend, producing hazy skies, vivid sunrises and reduced afternoon thunderstorm coverage.
- National Weather Service offices have issued heat advisories as the dust helps concentrate heat near the surface and pushed heat‑index values into the 100s in parts of the peninsula.
- Air quality has degraded into the moderate range where dust mixes down to breathing level, raising allergy and respiratory risks for people with asthma, COPD and other sensitivities.
- Forecasts and satellite tracking from services such as CAMS show uncertainty for late‑week timing because a nearby low‑pressure feature could bring a weaker moisture surge that may thin or shift the dust and slightly raise local rain chances.
- The Saharan Air Layer is a seasonal, high‑altitude transport that carries mineral‑rich dust thousands of miles between June and August, which can fertilize distant ecosystems but also feed coastal algae and potentially contribute to harmful blooms.