A plume of Saharan dust will begin to affect the region starting on Tuesday, with direct impacts to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, according to the National Weather Service. The impact is expected to be moderate to severe and is forecast to last until Thursday, the agency said.
The plume will arrive as the islands are forecast to experience excessive heat this week, with high temperatures around 92 degrees Fahrenheit that will feel more like 112 degrees when the heat index is factored in, according to the NWS. Also known as the “apparent temperature,” the heat index is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature.
While the large pockets of dry air that accompany Saharan dust storms can play a significant role in preventing the development of tropical cyclones, exposure to the particulate pollution can be a hazard, especially for children and babies, older adults, people with underlying lung conditions and those with chronic cardiopulmonary diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The dust clouds — which originate from the Sahara and Sahel deserts in Africa and are transported by trade winds thousands of miles over the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean — can contain minerals, organic matter, marine salts, viruses and bacteria that can be hazardous to public health.
Symptoms of exposure can include nose irritation, sinusitis, allergies, worsening asthma, throat, eye and skin irritation, acute bronchitis and the risk of respiratory infection, according to the NWS.
To prevent adverse effects, residents are encouraged to have their medicines on hand, stay hydrated, use light clothing, avoid outside activities and use a face mask and eyeglasses.
USVI residents and visitors can find weather information and obtain alerts from the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency website and the National Weather Service. A daily weather post is also published on the Source Weather Page, and a daily weather forecast video is also available to view.
