Sahara Dust

In a previous post I talked about the Sahara Dust problem.   Here is some information about this phenomenon (courtesy of Wiki):

The Sahara is the major source on Earth of mineral dust (60-200 millions of tons per year). Saharan dust is lifted by convection over hot desert areas, and can thus reach very high altitudes; from there it can be transported worldwide by winds, covering distances of thousands of kilometers. The dust combined with the hot dry air of the Sahara Desert often forms an atmospheric layer called the Saharan Air Layer which has significant effects on tropical weather, especially as it interferes with the development of hurricanes.

Due to the trade winds, very large concentrations of mineral dust can be found in the tropical Atlantic, reaching the Caribbean.   Saharan dust carries a fungus which falls into the Caribbean Sea and possibly infects coral reefs with Sea Fan disease.  It also has been linked to increased incidence of pediatric asthma attacks in the Caribbean. Since 1970, dust outbreaks have worsened due to periods of drought in Africa.  Dust events have been linked to a decline in the health of coral reefs across the Caribbean and Florida, primarily since the 1970s.

Some people in St John are reporting respiratory problems related to the dust.  Thus although it does keep the hurricanes away, it is a real nuisance for people here.  Since this is a tourist destination, it also has a negative effect on the views (which people actually pay to see).  A couple of posts ago, I showed how it affects our sunsets (for the better) but the below pictures show the effect on our day time views.



Trunk Overlook on a Clear Day



Trunk Overlook with Sahara Dust