Saharan Dust Could Bring Vibrant Sunsets, Lower Humidity to Texarkana

Get ready for possible beautiful sunrises and sunsets next week because the Saharan Dust from Africa is on its way. The massive dust cloud should be hitting the Gulf Coast early next week and some weather models are showing by late next week, we could even see the effects of it in the Texarkana area.

Saharan Dust is literally from the Sahara Desert. The dust travels more than 5,000 miles from Africa across the Atlantic to the Gulf and then on to the southern states.

Every year, there is about 180 million tons of dust that get caught up in big winds in the  Sahara Desert, and the dust is swept high into the sky up to 15,000 feet. Then the dust hits the tradewinds across the Atlantic and comes to our southern shores from Texas, Louisiana to Alabama and Florida. Then the winds will head north up to Dallas and the Texarkana area.

What Can Texarkana Expect to See if The Saharan Dust Comes Our Way?

This dust can keep our humidity down, which can be a big blessing on a hot summer day in Texas and Arkansas. Another thing to look forward to is that the Saharan Dust will give us some of the most amazing, vibrant sunrises and sunsets as the sun shines through all the dust particles.

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But with the good, there is also the bad. The dust will reduce our air quality and if you suffer from any respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD, then you will feel it. We will see hazy skies and dirty rain.

Let's keep our fingers crossed we will see a little something in the coming weeks for pretty sunsets, but not too much so we can stay clear of the bad effects on our friends and neighbors.