Free Republic

A massive Sahara Desert dust cloud is drifting 5,000 miles over the Atlantic towards the US - and experts have warned it could bring extreme heat while impacting air quality in five southeastern states.Skies over Florida, along with southern swathes of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, will look 'a little hazy' and could turn brown from the sandy plume as it lingers over the weekend. Along with haze, the desert dust will catalyze scorching temperatures of around 105 degrees in the Sunshine State and an uptick in allergies - but it will also bring brighter sunsets and suppress tropical thunderstorms,...

A large Saharan dust plume is moving NE over parts of Europe -- from Spain and France today, February 6, 2021, into Italy, Germany, and the rest of northern and eastern Europe and the Balkans in the coming days. Sand-laden rains, a fairly rare phenomenon in winter, are expected over much of the region. Events such as this can significantly lower air quality and be dangerous for sensitive groups -- be sure to track your local air quality index.